Guide for ServiceNow app development using the Now SDK: project setup, fluent authoring, build/deploy workflow, and CLI reference. Start here when working on a new ServiceNow application or with the Now SDK before consulting artifact-specific guides.
JavaScript modules are the modern, preferred approach for all server-side code in Fluent projects. Modules support import/export, provide access to typed Glide APIs via @servicenow/glide, enable code reuse across your application, and integrate with third-party npm libraries.
The now.config.json file is the project configuration for a Fluent SDK application. It lives at the project root and defines the application scope, build settings, source directories, dependencies, and runtime policies. Every Fluent project requires this file.
Now.ID['key-name'] gives a Fluent record a stable, human-readable identity. Use it to assign the $id property on any API that accepts one — the build system maps the key to a real sys_id and keeps it stable across builds.
ServiceNow Fluent is a domain-specific language (DSL) based on TypeScript for defining the metadata files [sys_metadata] that make up applications. It includes APIs for tables, roles, ACLs, business rules, Automated Test Framework tests, and more.
Every Fluent project has an auto-generated keys.ts file that maps human-readable identifiers to ServiceNow sys_ids. It's the registry that makes Now.ID['my-record'] work.