Building spokes using Spoke Generator

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated September 2, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Building spokes using Spoke Generator

    The Spoke Generator (snspokebuilder) app in ServiceNow enables customers to automate integration tasks by creating sequences of reusable actions called spokes, which connect to third-party applications without scripting. This functionality requires an IntegrationHub subscription and appropriate licenses, including the IntegrationHub Professional Pack Installer for environments using OpenAPI specifications, Postman collections, or Now Assist to create spokes.

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    Spokes provide both inbound and outbound integrations, simplifying how customers add powerful actions to their workflows.

    Key Features

    • Spoke creation methods: Import OpenAPI Specifications (up to 10 MB by default, configurable to 100 MB), import Postman collections, use Now Assist with API documentation snippets, or build manually.
    • Role-based access: Admins can create, import, publish, and manage spokes and connection aliases. Users with actiondesigner role can add actions; users with fdreadactions role can view actions. Flow operators and designers can view flows and subflows.
    • OpenAPI limitations: Only JSON media types are supported in request bodies; some OpenAPI 3.0 components such as oneOf, anyOf, discriminator objects, callbacks, security schemes, and recursive references are not supported in the OpenAPI step.
    • Configuration properties: System properties allow adjustment of OpenAPI import size and maximum number of API operations (default 500, adjustable up to 1000).
    • App dependencies: Requires ServiceNow IntegrationHub Starter Pack Installer plugin and corresponding licenses.

    Practical Use and Benefits

    ServiceNow customers can quickly develop custom integrations by leveraging reusable spokes, reducing the need for scripting and accelerating integration deployment. By importing standardized API specifications or collections, customers ensure consistency and ease of maintenance across integrations.

    The role-based access controls support governance and collaboration, enabling teams to contribute according to their permissions.

    Awareness of OpenAPI limitations helps customers design compatible API specifications and avoid unsupported features that could impact spoke functionality.

    Adjustable system properties provide flexibility to handle larger or more complex API integrations as needed.

    Next Steps

    • Ensure required plugins and licenses are installed in production and sub-production environments before building spokes.
    • Choose the appropriate spoke creation method based on available API documentation (OpenAPI spec, Postman collection, Now Assist, or manual).
    • Monitor and configure system properties for OpenAPI import size and operation limits to fit integration requirements.
    • Assign user roles to control access to spoke creation and management features.

    Automate integration tasks by creating a sequence of reusable actions to develop custom integrations called spokes.

    Request apps on the Store

    Visit the ServiceNow Store website to view all the available apps, for information about submitting requests to the store, and to download and install Spoke Generator (sn_spoke_builder). For cumulative release notes information for all released apps, see the ServiceNow Store version history release notes.

    App dependencies

    If you’re having trouble installing the app, ensure that the dependent plugin, ServiceNow IntegrationHub Starter Pack Installer (com.glide.hub.integrations.starter) is installed. You need ServiceNow IntegrationHub Professional Pack Installer license in your prod and sub-prod environments for creating spokes using OpenAPI specification, Postman collection, or Now Assist.

    Note:
    Some of these plugins are licensable features and require appropriate licenses, if used outside the spoke implementation.

    Capabilities

    An Integration Hub custom spoke provides both inbound and outbound integration with third-party applications. These integrations, referred to as spokes, are easy to configure and enable you to quickly add powerful actions without the need to write a script. This feature requires an Integration Hub subscription. For more information, see Legal schedules - IntegrationHub overview.

    You can build custom spokes for the required third-party application by importing an OpenAPI Specification or Postman collection, documentation snippets from third-party API documentation, or creating a spoke manually.

    Required user roles

    • Users with the admin role can:
      • View the Spokes tab.
      • Create a new spoke.
      • Import an OpenAPI Specification.
      • Create connection alias.
      • Publish actions and save actions as drafts.
      • See spoke activity log.
    • Users with the action_designer and fd_read_actions roles can:
      • View the Spokes tab.
      • See actions in a spoke.
    • Users with the action_designer role can add actions.
      Note:
      Users with just the fd_read_actions role can only see actions.
    • Users with the flow_operator or flow_designer can view flows and subflows.

    OpenAPI Specification size limit

    By default, the system can import OpenAPI Specifications up to 10 MB. To increase the import size, update the glide.rest.openapi.max_request_size system property. The maximum value is 100 MB.

    Limitations of OpenAPI Specification

    Spoke actions created by importing OpenAPI specification, contain the OpenAPI step. Ensure that you are aware of these OpenAPI step limitations.

    Request body media types
    The request body only supports JSON media types.
    Note:
    A string type output object is created when the OpenAPI schema has additionalProperties or no properties.
    OpenAPI 3.0 components

    OpenAPI 3.0 adds new components to Swagger 2.0 to describe an API in further detail. OpenAPI support in the OpenAPI step supports some, but not all of these components. The OpenAPI step does not currently support these components.

    • Schema Object: oneOf, anyOf, additionalProperties properties
    • Discriminator Object
    • Info object: termsOfService, contact, license fields
    • Example Object
    • Link Object
    • Callback Object
    • Security Scheme Object
    • Security Requirements Object
    • Tag Object
    • External Documentation Object
    • Server Object
    • Specification extensions
    • Recursive references

    More information on these components is available in the OpenAPI documentation. See OpenAPI Specification.

    Maximum number of operations supported
    The number of API operations is limited to 500 by default. However, using the system property glide.rest.openapi.max_operation_limit, you can configure the number of operations from 1 through 1000.

    App version

    Spoke Generator v4.2.0 is the latest version.