Welcome to the ServiceNow Application Development Module!
In this dynamic and informative module, we embark on a journey through the world of ServiceNow application development. Our goal is to equip you with the knowledge and skills to create customized applications that will enhance your organization's efficiency and effectiveness.
This module seems to cover several key objectives and topics related to ServiceNow application development. Here's a breakdown of the key points:
Module Objectives:
- Define application development.
- Evaluate whether an application is a good technical fit with the ServiceNow platform.
- Discuss customer application success examples.
- Compare global scope vs private scoped applications.
- Identify a high-level overview of the application to be built during the class.
- Recognize the skills needed to successfully develop applications in ServiceNow.
Module Topics:
- 1. Application Development Concepts
- 2. Scoped Application Model
- 3. Application Development vs Application Deployment
The provided content also discusses the importance of custom application development in ServiceNow, highlights the benefits of developing custom applications, and provides criteria for deciding whether to build a custom application or not.
1. Application Development Concepts
The combined strengths of the Now platform and its underlying cloud infrastructure power and support every application running on the platform, whether that application is built by ServiceNow, a ServiceNow partner, or you and your team. The Now platform provides the features needed to make custom applications compelling to users and to enable success.
1.1 What is a Cloud-Based Application:
A cloud-based application refers to software applications that use computing resources delivered via the internet using an existing platform and providing access to data.
These applications are typically built on an existing cloud platform.
ServiceNow manages the computing resources and provides the platform, while application developers configure ServiceNow using industry-standard JavaScript to extend and add functionality.
Users access these applications through web browsers.
1.2 Why Develop Custom Applications:
Developing custom applications in ServiceNow is valuable for various reasons, including:
- Replacing outdated or inadequate custom business applications and processes.
- Extending service delivery and management to all enterprise departments.
- Enhancing the value of ServiceNow.
- Bringing greater levels of automation and consolidation to enterprise services and their management.
Custom applications can significantly improve responsiveness, productivity, and user satisfaction.
1.3 Should I Build It?:
Good fit
When considering whether to build a custom application, it's important to assess the fit. A custom application is a good fit if it:
- Involves data that can be modeled in a relational database.
- Requires extensive use of forms to interact with data.
- Needs reporting capabilities.
- Requires workflow or flow to manage processes.
- Can extend existing functionality through JavaScript.
Bad fit
On the other hand, a custom application is a bad fit if it involves unstructured data, requires access to proprietary libraries without an API, or involves applications like multi-player games or those with no process flow.
1.4 Target the Right Applications:
ServiceNow's platform is specialized for building Business and Enterprise (BE) applications.
Target applications that were previously managed using spreadsheets and email, departmental apps built on aging platforms, and applications with a "request-fulfill" pattern.
1.5 ServiceNow Custom Application Examples:
The provided list of ServiceNow custom application examples showcases a wide range of applications that can be developed on the platform.
These applications can cover various business needs, such as timecard management, gift card management, invoice management, safety incident response, and more.
ServiceNow's platform is versatile and feature-rich, allowing for the development of diverse applications to meet specific organizational requirements.
2. Scoped Application Model
discusses the philosophy and importance of scoped applications on the ServiceNow platform, along with some historical context and best practices related to application development.
Philosophy of Scoped Apps:
Scoped applications adhere to certain principles, which include:
- The ability to uninstall an application.
- Ensuring that applications do not break the system.
- Limiting an application's access to what it needs (the principle of least privilege).
- Avoiding the breaking of other applications.
- Defining clear dependencies for applications.
- Making applications self-contained.
Application Scopes: A Brief History:
The history of application scopes in ServiceNow is outlined:
- 2004 | ServiceNow was founded
- 2004 - 20014 | Up to and including Dublin release, Global configuration updates
- 2014 | Scoped applications introduced in Fuji release
- 2015 | Geneva Release, Studio IDE. Delegated Development
- 2015 - 2022 | 2015 to present new applications created as scoped applications
Scoped applications were introduced around the Fuji release in 2014, allowing for discrete, modular development.
From the Geneva release onwards, the integrated development environment Studio was introduced to manage both scoped and general application development.
Scoped application development has continued to be refined and improved with subsequent releases.
Scoped vs. Global:
Scoped Apps
- Separate Namespace
- Delegated Development
- Source Control Integration
- Publish to App Repository
- Easy File Management
Global Apps
- Everything in Global
- Source Control Integration
- Publish to App Repository
- Easy File Management
Scoped applications are explained as being "sandboxed" into their own application namespace, providing better security and performance isolation.
Working within a private scoped application is considered best practice, and it ensures that application artifacts are contained within the application's scope.
Scope and Namespace:
Elements used to generate a namespace identifier for a scoped application are described, including the prefix characters, instance customer prefix, and application ID.
The scope name can be up to eighteen characters long and must include specific elements.
Determine Scope:
The general rule is to use scoped applications whenever possible to reduce complexity and maintain a controlled and distributed development process.
Common exceptions that may require building in the global scope are outlined.
This content provides insight into the importance of scoped applications, their philosophy, and the historical evolution of application development on the ServiceNow platform. It also highlights best practices for determining whether to build functionality within a scoped application or in the global scope. If you have any specific questions or need further clarification on any of these topics, please feel free to ask.
3. Application Development vs Application Deployment
Nex focuses on the differences between application development and deployment in the context of ServiceNow, as well as introducing the concepts of Update Sets, Application Repository, and the use of continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) in the development process.
Development vs. Deployment:
Development involves constructing the next unit of deployment, often managed by multiple individuals and teams.
Deployment is the application of completed units of development to the production environment and typically involves a change management process.
Update Sets:
Update Sets are containers used to manage and store changes or customizations to an application.
They are essential for customizing baseline applications and applications purchased from the store.
Update Sets help keep track of why a change was made, export work in progress ahead of a clone, and associate changes with software development life cycle (SDLC) artifacts.
Update Set Deployment:
The deployment of update sets involves several manual steps, including merging, fixing, previewing, committing, and addressing any errors.
The deployment process can be time-consuming, particularly in the case of large development teams working on parallel features.
ServiceNow App Repository:
The ServiceNow App Repository is a place for a company to share applications ready for distribution between its instances.
It standardizes apps and app versions installed on instances and allows for easy installation, uninstallation, and updating of apps.
Admin role is required to manage the repository.
Application Repository
Development teams use the Application Repository to deploy completed applications to other instances.
The Application Repository is a central repository for all scoped applications that are published.
This repository allows customers to upload and distribute applications between instances
Full Stack Development and CI/CD:
Full Stack Development is introduced as a model used in the course with GitLab.
Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) is discussed as a method for developing apps at scale, involving source control and CI/CD toolsets on the ServiceNow platform.
CI/CD is defined as a practice in which incremental changes are delivered quickly and reliably from developers' desktops to production.
Class Activity:
The course mentions that attendees will build a loaner equipment application by working through a checklist of considerations for application creation. This includes decisions on creating an application table versus extending an existing table and how users will interact with the application.
This content provides insights into the development and deployment processes on the ServiceNow platform, the role of Update Sets, the Application Repository, and the adoption of CI/CD practices. It also outlines a class activity involving hands-on training in application development. If you have specific questions or need further clarification on any of these topics, please feel free to ask.