| name | servicenow-app-engine |
| skill_type | skill |
| description | Build scoped ServiceNow applications as metadata-as-code — the scope/`x_` prefix/now.config.json anatomy, how Fluent artifacts assemble into a whole app (table + business rule + ACL + menu + catalog), and how that reconciles with App Engine Studio / Application Studio. Use when the agent must design a scoped app's structure, map an App Engine Studio artifact to its Fluent API and sample, assemble a multi-artifact app, or package/publish a scoped app. Do NOT use for the now-sdk build/deploy/ATF lifecycle mechanics (use servicenow-sdk-lifecycle), for authoring Flow Designer flows/subflows (use servicenow-workflow-studio), for the raw bundled Fluent samples (use servicenow-sdk-docs), or for ad-hoc record CRUD against a live instance (use servicenow-table-api). |
| license | MIT |
| tags | ["servicenow","scoped-app","metadata-as-code","app-engine-studio","fluent","packaging","mcp"] |
| metadata | {"author":"Genius","version":"0.1.0"} |
ServiceNow App Engine (scoped apps as metadata-as-code)
A scoped ServiceNow application is a namespaced bundle of metadata records (tables, rules,
ACLs, menus, catalog items…). App Engine Studio (AES) / Application Studio build that
bundle through a UI; this skill builds the same bundle as Fluent code and reconciles
the two views. It defers the build/deploy/test mechanics to servicenow-sdk-lifecycle.
When to use
- Designing a scoped app's shape: scope,
x_ prefix, now.config.json, file layout.
- Mapping an App Engine Studio artifact to the Fluent API that produces it.
- Assembling a coherent app from multiple artifacts (data model + logic + security + nav +
request UX).
- Packaging/publishing a scoped app across instances.
When NOT to use
- CLI lifecycle mechanics (init/build/transform/deploy/ATF) →
servicenow-sdk-lifecycle.
- Flow Designer flows/subflows/actions →
servicenow-workflow-studio.
- Reading the raw samples →
servicenow-sdk-docs.
- Ad-hoc live record CRUD →
servicenow-table-api.
Prerequisites
- A Fluent project (scaffold via
servicenow-sdk-lifecycle → references/project-init.md).
- For packaging/publish: the
servicenow-api MCP server via the mcp-client skill. Env +
tag matrix: agent-tools/mcp-client/references/servicenow-api.md.
The mental model
Everything in a scoped app is a record in a sys_* table, namespaced to a scope.
Fluent constructs (Table, BusinessRule, Acl, ApplicationMenu, ServiceCatalog,
Record, …) are typed emitters for those records. "Build the app as code" = author those
constructs, then ship them via the SDK lifecycle.
Reference map — open just-in-time
references/scoped-app-anatomy.md — sys_scope, the x_<prefix>_ namespace,
now.config.json, package.json, and the src/fluent/ layout. Read first when
starting or structuring an app.references/app-engine-studio-concepts.md — what AES / Application Studio are, their
artifact vocabulary (data tables, experiences, logic-and-automation, security), and how
a code-first project coexists with them. Read when reconciling with the UI.references/metadata-as-code-mapping.md — the master table: App Studio artifact →
Fluent API → canonical servicenow-sdk-docs sample. Read when you know what you want
and need the construct + example.references/full-app-walkthrough.md — assemble a working app end-to-end (table +
business rule + ACL + application menu + catalog item), cross-referencing the samples.
Read when building a whole app rather than one artifact.references/packaging-and-publish.md — package and promote the scoped app across
instances via servicenow_cicd + servicenow_update_sets. Read at release time.
Quick artifact map (full table in metadata-as-code-mapping.md)
| App concern | Fluent API | Sample (in servicenow-sdk-docs) |
|---|
| Data model | Table / Record | table-sample, record-sample, hello-world-sample |
| Server logic | BusinessRule, ScriptAction, script includes | businessrule-sample, scriptaction-sample, script-include-sample |
| Security | Acl, Role | acl-sample |
| Navigation | ApplicationMenu | applicationmenu-sample |
| Request UX | ServiceCatalog | service-catalog-sample |
| APIs | RestApi | restapi-sample |
| Automation | Flow / Subflow | flow-sample (author via servicenow-workflow-studio) |
Gotchas
- The scope is fixed at init. The
x_<prefix>_ namespace is baked into now.config.json
and every table/artifact name — plan it up front (see scoped-app-anatomy.md).
- Custom tables carry the scope prefix (
x_<prefix>_<table>); referencing platform
tables you don't own needs a dependency pull (servicenow-sdk-lifecycle →
references/dependencies.md).
- Code-first and AES edit the same records. Round-tripping via
now-sdk transform /
init --from keeps them in sync, but simultaneous edits from both sides collide — pick a
source of truth.
- Building the app here does not deploy it — hand off to
servicenow-sdk-lifecycle.
