The ServiceNow® software development kit (SDK) enables developers to create scoped applications in source code locally in Visual Studio Code Desktop and upload changes to a ServiceNow instance. ServiceNow SDK was enhanced and updated in the Xanadu release.

ServiceNow SDK highlights for the Xanadu release

Write source code to define the metadata that makes up applications with ServiceNow Fluent.

See ServiceNow SDK for more information.

Important information for upgrading ServiceNow SDK to Xanadu

Upgrade to the latest version of the ServiceNow SDK with the now-sdk upgrade command. For more information, see Upgrade the ServiceNow SDK.

Note: For more information about minor releases of the ServiceNow SDK, see the ServiceNow IDE, SDK, and Fluent articles in the ServiceNow Community.

New in the Xanadu release

Version 2.2.1
Turn off synchronizing changes to ServiceNow Fluent code
Turn off synchronizing changes to ServiceNow Fluent objects or files using the @fluent-disable-sync or @fluent-disable-sync-for-file comment directives.
Version 2.1.1
Authenticate to an instance using OAuth 2.0
Authenticate to a ServiceNow instance using OAuth 2.0 by setting the type parameter on the now-sdk auth command to oauth.
Ignore ServiceNow Fluent diagnostics
Suppress ServiceNow Fluent and TypeScript diagnostics using the @fluent-ignore comment directive.
Version 2.0
Build scoped applications in source code
Write source code to define the metadata that makes up applications using ServiceNow Fluent. ServiceNow Fluent is a domain-specific programming language with APIs for defining the different types of application metadata. Developing applications in source code enables you to work in familiar development environments, create and modify complex applications, manage code in source control more easily, and catch errors at build time.
ServiceNow Fluent Language server in Visual Studio Code
Get language processing and validation for ServiceNow Fluent in Visual Studio Code by installing the ServiceNow Fluent Language server from the Visual Studio Code Marketplace.

Changed in this release

Version 2.2.3
Convert command uses module project type by default
The projectType parameter is set to module by default. By converting an application with the module project type, you can gradually migrate application metadata into ServiceNow Fluent code rather than converting all application metadata into code initially.
Version 2.2.1
transpiledSourceDir parameter replaced with modulePaths parameter in now.config.json file
Use the modulePaths parameter in the now.config.json file for your application to map the source directory for modules to the output directory for modules instead of the deprecated transpiledSourceDir parameter. The modulePaths parameter is used to compile TypeScript source files into JavaScript modules.
Version 2.1.1
Table API includes label object
Configure field labels [sys_documentation] for tables and columns with the label object in the Table API.
Version 2.0.1
Create and convert commands include template parameter
Specify whether to use JavaScript or TypeScript in modules with the template parameter on the now-sdk create and now-sdk convert commands. This parameter determines the configuration of the package.json and now.config.json files and adds a tsconfig.json file for TypeScript projects.
Version 2.0
Default application structure
The default application structure includes some changes to directories and files, including the addition of a .gitignore file and moving the now object configuration in package.json to its own now.config.json file.
Create and convert commands include project-type parameter
Specify the type of application to create or convert with the project-type parameter on the now-sdk create and now-sdk convert commands. This parameter determines the default application structure based on whether you want to use ServiceNow Fluent and JavaScript modules and third-party libraries in the application (fluent) or only use JavaScript modules and third-party libraries (module).
Fetch command includes debug parameter
Return debug logs generated during the fetch process by setting the debug parameter to true with the now-sdk fetch command.
Deploy command includes reinstall parameter
Uninstall and reinstall the application on the instance by setting the reinstall parameter to true with the now-sdk deploy command. Reinstalling an application ensures that the metadata on the instance matches the metadata in the deployment package.
Warning: Metadata that is on the instance but not in your local application is removed.

Removed in this release

  • The scopeId parameter was removed from the now-sdk convert command, which supported converting global applications. Only scoped applications can be converted.
  • The mode parameter was removed from the now-sdk fetch and now-sdk deploy commands. A complete fetch or deploy are always executed.

Activation information

The ServiceNow SDK is available as an npm package from the public npm registry and installed locally. For information about installing the ServiceNow SDK, see Install the ServiceNow SDK in an application.

Additional requirements

You must have Node.js and npm installed to install the ServiceNow SDK. For more information, see Install the ServiceNow SDK in an application.

Related ServiceNow applications and features

ServiceNow IDE
The ServiceNow IDE uses the ServiceNow SDK as its application packaging service to build applications, and the ServiceNow SDK provides the ServiceNow Fluent APIs for developing applications in source code in the ServiceNow IDE. Scoped applications created with the ServiceNow SDK or ServiceNow IDE can be developed with either application.