---
sourceDocument: Australia API Reference
sourceDocumentLink: https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/r/api-reference

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    - australia

ft:locale :

    - en-US

ft:publication_title :

    - Australia API Reference

ft:clusterId :

    - crapiref

bundleId :

    - crapiref

workflow :

    - Creator


---

# Control request and response content type

# Control request and response content type {#ariaid-title1}

Release version: Australia  
Updated March 12, 2026  
![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 2 minutes to read
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## Summary of Control Request and Response Content Type

This guide outlines how to control the content types allowed in scripted REST API requests and responses in ServiceNow.
By default, the system supports several formats, including application/json and application/xml, while also allowing custom content types with json or xml subtypes.
Show full answer Show less  

## Key Features

* **Default Settings:** You can specify default supported request and response formats via the respective fields. Unsupported formats will trigger HTTP error codes 406 or 415.
* **Wildcard Support:** Use the percent sign (%) for single-character wildcards and the asterisk () for multiple-character wildcards when defining content types.
* **x-www-form-urlencoded:** If your API accepts this content type, you can retrieve the values as a JSON map and access them via the request.queryParams object.
* **Binary Responses:** For binary responses, set the content type accordingly and write the binary stream directly using the RESTAPIResponseStream object.

## Key Outcomes

By effectively managing content types, you can ensure that your APIs handle requests and responses correctly, improving integration and communication with other systems. Proper configuration prevents errors and enhances the overall performance of your ServiceNow implementation.  
Controls which content types are allowed in scripted REST API requests and
responses.  
By default, scripted REST APIs support `application/json`, `application/xml`, and `text/xml`. User-defined custom content types (with `json` or `xml` subtypes) are also supported. For example, `application/vnd.collection+json` and `application/vnd.adobe.xdp+xml` are treated as JSON and XML, respectively.  
Important:  
If the request body format is not of a `json` or `xml` subtype, use only the request body `dataStream` field to access the request body. Using request body `data`, `dataString`, `nextEntry()`, or `hasNext()` with a non-json or non-xml format results in a 500 error response.

## Setting defaults {#c_SpecifyContentType__section_q3k_j3x_23b}

You can set default values for the API using the Default supported request formats and Default supported response formats fields.
These fields define acceptable values users can pass in the Content-Type and Accept request
headers, respectively. If a requesting user specifies an Accept or Content-Type header not
supported by the API or resource, the instance responds with an HTTP error code of
406 or 415.  
You can override these values for each resource using the Supported request formats and Supported response formats on the Scripted REST Service form.  
Note:  
The Supported request formats field appears only for PUT, POST, and PATCH resources.

## Using wildcard values {#c_SpecifyContentType__section_qdv_g3x_23b}

You can use wildcard values when specifying valid content types.

* To perform a single-character wildcard search, use the percent sign (%) character. This wildcard finds words that contain any one character in place the percent-sign-character. For example, to find words such as text or test, search for: <kbd class="ph userinput">te%t</kbd>.
* To perform a multiple-character wildcard search, use the asterisk (\*) character. This wildcard finds words that contain zero or more characters in place of the asterisk-character. For example, to find words such as planned or placed, search for: <kbd class="ph userinput">pl*d</kbd>.
{#c_SpecifyContentType__ul_rdz_1mv_32b}

## Using the x-www-form-urlencoded content type {#c_SpecifyContentType__section_cww_b3x_23b}

If a REST API or resource accepts the `application/x-www-form-urlencoded`
content-type, you can retrieve the urlencoded values provided in the request as a JSON map.
You can then supply these urlencoded key-value pairs as query parameters, in the request
body, or both. They are combined and stored in the request parameters. Access these
parameters through the `request.queryParams` object.  
For example, if your API is defined to accept the `application/x-www-form-urlencoded` content-type and your API is implemented as follows,

    (function process(/*RESTAPIRequest*/ request, /*RESTAPIResponse*/ response) {

     response.setBody(request.queryParams);

    })(request, response);

... then the following request yields the respective response:

    POST to localhost:8080/api/now/some_api/some_resource?name3=value3&name4=value4

Body:

    name1=value1&name2=value2

Response:

    { "result":
        { "name4": [ "value4" ], "name3": [ "value3" ], "name2": [ "value2" ],
          "name1": [ "value1" ]
        }
    }

## Sending binary type in a response {#c_SpecifyContentType__section_iv5_pjx_23b}

When sending a binary type in a response, you must set the response content type and write
the binary stream directly using a `RESTAPIResponseStream` object. You can
access this object by calling `getStreamWriter()` on the response object. For
more information, see.