How can I improve my ServiceNow coding skills?

Improving your ServiceNow coding skills requires a combination of hands-on practice, learning best practices, and deepening your understanding of both JavaScript and the ServiceNow platform. Here are some effective ways to enhance your coding abilities in ServiceNow:

1. Master JavaScript Fundamentals

Since JavaScript is the primary language used in ServiceNow, it's crucial to strengthen your knowledge of JavaScript basics and advanced concepts.

• Focus Areas:
  • Variables, functions, loops, and conditionals.
  • Object-oriented programming and JSON manipulation.
  • Asynchronous programming (callbacks, promises) for handling asynchronous tasks.
• Resources:
  • FreeCodeCamp or MDN Web Docs for JavaScript tutorials and exercises.
  • Online platforms like Codecademy or JavaScript.info to practice and strengthen your core JavaScript skills.

2. Get Hands-On Experience with ServiceNow Scripting

The best way to improve your ServiceNow coding skills is through practical experience on the platform. Explore different areas of scripting, such as client-side and server-side scripts.

• Practice Areas:

  • Client Scripts: Write scripts that dynamically modify forms or validate user inputs.
  • Business Rules: Automate processes triggered by database changes like insertions or updates.
  • Script Includes: Develop reusable server-side scripts that can be called from other parts of the platform.
  • GlideRecord API: Master querying and manipulating records in the database using GlideRecord.
  • UI Actions and Policies: Customize how users interact with forms and fields in the UI.

• Tools for Practice:

  • ServiceNow Developer Instance: Sign up for a free developer instance of ServiceNow from the ServiceNow Developer Portal. This will allow you to practice creating client scripts, business rules, workflows, and custom apps in a sandbox environment.

3. Learn and Use ServiceNow APIs

Get comfortable with ServiceNow’s powerful Glide APIs for querying, updating, and managing data in the platform.

• GlideRecord API: Learn how to query and manipulate records in ServiceNow. Practice with different query methods to retrieve, update, or delete records from the database.
• GlideAjax API: Use this API to make asynchronous calls from client-side scripts to retrieve server-side data.
• REST and SOAP APIs: Get familiar with ServiceNow’s integration capabilities by learning how to call and build REST and SOAP APIs for interacting with external systems.

4. Study and Build Complex Workflows

ServiceNow is often used to automate business processes. Work on building advanced workflows that incorporate conditions, approvals, and notifications.

• Flow Designer: Learn how to use Flow Designer to create low-code workflows. Add complexity by incorporating custom JavaScript actions.
• Workflow Editor: Practice building approval and fulfillment workflows for common tasks like change management or incident resolution.

5. Dive into Advanced Topics

After mastering the basics, focus on more advanced topics to deepen your expertise.

• Scripted REST APIs: Practice building custom REST APIs to handle external system integrations.
• Custom Applications: Build custom apps from scratch using ServiceNow Studio.
• Service Portal Development: Learn how to develop custom widgets using AngularJS and JavaScript for ServiceNow's Service Portal.

6. Work on Real-World Projects

If you're currently working in ServiceNow, seek opportunities to take on complex projects that challenge your scripting and problem-solving skills. If you're learning on your own, try to replicate common business use cases.

• Examples:
  • Automate the assignment of incidents based on user roles and ticket priority.
  • Build a custom catalog item that kicks off a complex approval workflow.
  • Create a custom dashboard that reports on key performance indicators (KPIs) using GlideRecord and custom widgets.

7. Learn Best Practices

Following best practices in coding ensures that your code is scalable, maintainable, and performs well.

• Code Reusability: Write Script Includes for reusable code and functions.
• Error Handling: Implement proper error handling and validation in both client and server-side scripts.
• Optimization: Use efficient queries, optimize workflows, and ensure that scripts don’t cause performance bottlenecks.

8. Participate in the ServiceNow Community

The ServiceNow community is a valuable resource for learning from other professionals, solving issues, and keeping up with platform updates.

• Forums: Engage in the ServiceNow Community Forum, where you can ask questions, share knowledge, and learn from experienced professionals.
• ServiceNow Developer Portal: Stay up-to-date with new releases, and explore the official documentation, tutorials, and developer blog.
• GitHub Repositories: Explore open-source ServiceNow projects on GitHub to understand how other developers approach coding and project structure.

9. Study for ServiceNow Certifications

Getting certified can help structure your learning and provide clear goals.

• ServiceNow Certified Application Developer (CAD): Focuses on developing applications within the ServiceNow platform, including scripting and customization.
• ServiceNow Certified System Administrator (CSA): While this certification is more admin-focused, it covers many of the basic features and scripting tools that you'll use as a developer.

10. Continuous Learning and Experimentation

ServiceNow is continuously evolving, and staying up-to-date with new features and capabilities will help you improve your coding skills.

• Keep Practicing: Work on side projects and try building different solutions in your free time.
• Attend Webinars and Conferences: Participate in ServiceNow webinars and attend the annual Knowledge Conference to learn from industry experts.
• Explore New Releases: Every ServiceNow version introduces new features, APIs, and enhancements, so make sure you understand the latest changes.

Conclusion

To improve your ServiceNow coding skills, focus on mastering JavaScript, practicing with hands-on coding projects in ServiceNow, learning the Glide APIs, building complex workflows, and staying up-to-date with the platform's new features. By gaining experience through real-world projects, studying best practices, and engaging with the ServiceNow community, you'll become a more proficient and confident ServiceNow developer.