--- sourceDocument: Australia Build or modify applications sourceDocumentLink: https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/r/application-development Release : - australia ft:locale : - en-US ft:publication_title : - Australia Build or modify applications ft:clusterId : - cadev bundleId : - cadev workflow : - Development, Data, and Analytics --- # Explore # Exploring App Engine Studio {#ariaid-title1} Release version: Australia Updated June 22, 2026 ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 6 minutes to read Summarize ![AI sparkle icon](https://servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ai-sparkle-icon) Summarized using AI This content was generated using new OpenAI-powered functionality. Results are provided on an as is basis and are not guaranteed to be accurate or complete. ## Summary of Exploring App Engine Studio App Engine Studio (AES) is a low-code development tool on the ServiceNow AI Platform designed to empower both citizen and pro-code developers to build powerful applications efficiently. It offers guided setup, predefined templates, workflows, and integrated development tools to streamline app creation, customization, and deployment. AES supports enterprise needs by enabling scalable app development with built-in guardrails and collaboration features. Show full answer Show less ## App Engine Studio Users and Workflow * **Citizen developers:** Subject matter experts without programming experience who can create apps using graphical interfaces and templates. * **Pro-code developers:** Skilled developers using programming languages to build apps. * **AES admins:** Manage application intake, development, collaboration assignments, and oversee deployment through the App Engine Management Center (AEMC). The app creation process begins with citizen developers submitting app ideas for approval. Once approved, developers choose to build apps from templates or from scratch. Templates automatically generate base apps including data models, user experiences, workflows, and security roles, which can be customized. AES admins monitor development progress and manage app deployment through testing, staging, and production stages. ## Key Features * **Guided experience:** Step-by-step assistance for first-time and ongoing users to simplify app creation. * **App templates:** Predefined, proven use case templates speed up development and reduce learning curves. * **Guardrails:** Tooltips, recommendations, and approval processes help maintain app quality and governance. * **Collaboration:** Enables developers of all skill levels to work together seamlessly within AES. * **Integrated tools:** Includes Table Builder, Workspace Builder, Workflow Studio, and UI Builder for data modeling, UI customization, and workflow automation. ## Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers * **Accelerated low-code development:** Citizen developers can rapidly build and customize apps using templates and guided tools, reducing reliance on professional developers. * **Comprehensive app customization:** Easily define data tables, user experiences, workflows, and security roles to tailor apps to organizational needs. * **Enterprise-scale governance:** AES admins can approve app ideas, monitor development progress, assign collaborators, and control deployment to ensure quality and compliance. * **Seamless integration:** All essential app development tools are accessible within AES, eliminating the need to switch between multiple platforms. * **Security and control:** Built-in role management and approval workflows maintain secure and compliant app usage. ## Next Steps for Customers ServiceNow customers can explore detailed guidance on configuring AES, building apps, and leveraging its full capabilities through official resources. AES requires a subscription or product packaging that includes App Engine, so customers should coordinate with their account representatives to enable access. Learn how you can use the low-code app development tool, App Engine Studio (AES), to build powerful applications using guided setup, predefined templates, and workflows. ## App Engine Studio users {#exploring-aes__section_ptd_tvv_4bc} {#exploring-aes__table_lng_1wv_4bc__entry__2} | User | Description | |-|-| | Citizen developer | Citizen developers without programming experience can efficiently create applications on a simplified low-code, no-code platform that uses graphical interfaces and templates. The lower barrier to entry means developers of all skill levels can build applications. | | Pro-code developer | Pro-code developers are familiar with using programming languages to build applications. | | App Engine Studio admin | App Engine Studio admins manage the processes related to application development in AES. They review new application ideas, manage application development and deployment, and manage collaborator access, usually in the App Engine Management Center. | [Table 1. Users] {#exploring-aes__table_lng_1wv_4bc} ## Workflow to create apps using App Engine Studio {#exploring-aes__section_ubb_xxp_k5b} The following illustration describes the basic tasks involved in creating an app using App Engine Studio. For detailed instructions, see [Building apps in App Engine Studio](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/cFm3eBOiJVW5Yyl8CtqTBQ "Meet the business needs of your organization by building custom applications in App Engine Studio (AES)."). Note: Select the image to enlarge it. Figure 1. Application creation process using AES The workflow for creating apps in App Engine Studio is as follows: 1. As a citizen developer, you submit your plan for an app through Application Intake for approval and development in AES. 2. The AES admin reviews the intake request. If it's rejected, that closes out the request. But you can always update your idea and submit a new request. 3. When the request is approved, you must decide whether to create your app using a predefined template, or to create it from scratch. You should explore the available templates. They can save you lots of time. 4. Then you must determine whether you have the resources to build the app on your own. If you need help, you can request collaboration, or the AES admin can assign a collaborating developer. 5. If you use a template, the base system app is created automatically, with a basic data model, user experiences, automated workflows, and security roles. For more information, see [Integrated development tools for AES](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/UUEOMT2mWZq1yjGUE_6OvA "App Engine Studio (AES) provides instant access to several tools available in the ServiceNow AI Platform development suite."). 6. You can customize all those elements for the app. If you're creating the app from scratch, you must define those four elements yourself. 7. The AES admin can monitor the development of the app every step of the way using the App Engine Management Center (AEMC). Monitoring apps through the development cycle can help the AES admin balance workloads and ensure quality. 8. When your app is complete, the AES admin uses the AEMC to request that the app is deployed into the pipeline for testing, staging, and final deployment. 9. When the app receives final approval, it's deployed to your production environment. {#exploring-aes__ol_kmh_dbq_k5b} ## Additional resources for App Engine Studio {#exploring-aes__section_eqt_fq3_ftb} {#exploring-aes__table_flh_vjt_gtb__entry__2} | Learn more about App Engine Studio | ServiceNow resources | |-|-| | App Engine Studio is a guided, low-code tool for developing rich web applications to store information, automate business processes, and solve business problems. Note: AES requires an App Engine subscription or product packaged with one. For more information, refer to [Installing App Engine Studio](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/n~GOnec_sMS36RvKqQIcvg "You can install the App Engine Studio (AES) application (com.snc.app-engine-studio) if you have the admin role. The application installs related ServiceNow Store applications and plugins if they are not already installed."). Contact your account representative for details. | [App Engine Studio Playlist](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCOmiTb5WX3ptBi7tdjmAGwx8EhgcTp9o) | | App Engine Studio is a guided, low-code tool for developing rich web applications to store information, automate business processes, and solve business problems. Note: AES requires an App Engine subscription or product packaged with one. For more information, refer to [Installing App Engine Studio](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/n~GOnec_sMS36RvKqQIcvg "You can install the App Engine Studio (AES) application (com.snc.app-engine-studio) if you have the admin role. The application installs related ServiceNow Store applications and plugins if they are not already installed."). Contact your account representative for details. | [App Engine Studio vs. Studio](https://community.servicenow.com/community?id=community_question&sys_id=133bbffc1bbbe410fc3233bc1d4bcb58) | | App Engine Studio is a guided, low-code tool for developing rich web applications to store information, automate business processes, and solve business problems. Note: AES requires an App Engine subscription or product packaged with one. For more information, refer to [Installing App Engine Studio](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/n~GOnec_sMS36RvKqQIcvg "You can install the App Engine Studio (AES) application (com.snc.app-engine-studio) if you have the admin role. The application installs related ServiceNow Store applications and plugins if they are not already installed."). Contact your account representative for details. | [ServiceNow Community site](https://community.servicenow.com/community?id=community_search&q=app%20engine%20studio&spa=1) | | App Engine Studio is a guided, low-code tool for developing rich web applications to store information, automate business processes, and solve business problems. Note: AES requires an App Engine subscription or product packaged with one. For more information, refer to [Installing App Engine Studio](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/n~GOnec_sMS36RvKqQIcvg "You can install the App Engine Studio (AES) application (com.snc.app-engine-studio) if you have the admin role. The application installs related ServiceNow Store applications and plugins if they are not already installed."). Contact your account representative for details. | [Build My First App Engine Studio Application - ServiceNow Developers site](https://developer.servicenow.com/dev.do#!/learn/courses/vancouver/app_store_learnv2_bmfaesa_vancouver_build_my_first_app_engine_studio_application/BAP_vancouver/BAP_Objectives_BMFAESA_vancouver) | | App Engine Studio is a guided, low-code tool for developing rich web applications to store information, automate business processes, and solve business problems. Note: AES requires an App Engine subscription or product packaged with one. For more information, refer to [Installing App Engine Studio](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/n~GOnec_sMS36RvKqQIcvg "You can install the App Engine Studio (AES) application (com.snc.app-engine-studio) if you have the admin role. The application installs related ServiceNow Store applications and plugins if they are not already installed."). Contact your account representative for details. | [App Engine Migration Assessment](https://my.servicenow.com/esc?id=surf_kb_article&sys_id=1d92e950479ff1d0a41f5342846d436d&kb_result=true) | [ ] {#exploring-aes__table_flh_vjt_gtb} ## Get to know AES {#exploring-aes__section_hcq_d11_m5b} AES is designed to address enterprise low-code development needs by putting the power of the ServiceNow AI Platform in the hands of low-code developers. Guidance-driven flows and easy-to-customize templates help citizen developers to come up to speed quickly. Regardless of their skill level, citizen developers become more productive using AES. Whether you're building a custom app from scratch or using a template, the simplified low-code experience in AES speeds up development on the ServiceNow AI Platform. Key features of the AES include: * Guided experience for first-time users: AES features a guided experience that orients developers, making it easy to navigate the environment. The first time you use the guidance, you're stepped linearly through the entire process of creating an application. After that, the guidance displays assistance related to what you're working on. You can hide the guidance by selecting Don't show me this again and exiting the pop-up. * App templates: App templates simplify the app development process. Using templates based on proven use cases gives developers the ability to create powerful apps without the learning curve. * Guardrails: Citizen developers receive tooltips and recommendations along the way, keeping them on track. Submitting apps for approvals also ensures quality. * Collaboration: Developers of all skill levels can seamlessly collaborate on app development in AES's low-code environment. * Integrated tools: Why work with multiple low-code tools when AES integrates with several? From designing tables to building catalogs and creating custom flows, AES has it all. {#exploring-aes__ul_uyb_pf1_m5b} ## App Engine Studio benefits {#exploring-aes__section_exploring-app-engine-studio} App Engine Studio provides the following benefits.{#exploring-aes__table_glk_smq_fwb__entry__3} | Benefit | Feature | Role | |-|-|-| | Submit ideas for an app, which admins then approve. | [Submit your idea for app development](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/rR7LPtxF_WMqwqx1LByGPw "With your carefully-planned idea in hand, you are ready to submit it through Application Intake for approval and development in App Engine Studio (AES).") | Citizen developer | | Use templates for standard application types, such as procurement portal or time off request, as a starting point to create and customize new apps quickly. | [Create your app using an application template](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/5l~_GyEODN0XL1a_vfbWiw "Build an application in App Engine Studio (AES) that uses predefined data, experience, logic and automation, and security. Add to the template contents to customize the app for your organization.") | Citizen developer | | Access multiple development tools in one interface, such as Table Builder and Workspace Builder. | [Integrated development tools for AES](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/UUEOMT2mWZq1yjGUE_6OvA "App Engine Studio (AES) provides instant access to several tools available in the ServiceNow AI Platform development suite.") | Citizen developer | | Scale development while maintaining process to review and test applications before deployment. | [Managing app development using the App Engine Management Center](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/iI3Rxchmffrhh9mjdQp7_g "Track and manage requests, deployments, applications, and collaborative developers for your custom applications using the App Engine Management Center (AEMC) in your production instance.") | Administrator | [ ] {#exploring-aes__table_glk_smq_fwb} ## Accelerate your low-code development with AES {#exploring-aes__section_lgr_2gx_f5b} Using App Engine Studio's low-code development environment, citizen developers can quickly build high-quality apps. Citizen developers are individuals in your organization who aren't experienced programmers, but who are subject matter experts with ideas for creating apps. With an approved idea in hand, a citizen developer chooses an app template, fills in a few parameters, and AES builds the app. The resulting application includes data, experiences, logic and automation, and security, all of which can be customized to your organization's needs. Apps created from a template can be easily modified to meet the requirements defined by the citizen developer, or new apps can be created from scratch. You can perform the following tasks to customize apps created using AES.{#exploring-aes__table_gcq_qsp_k5b__entry__2} | Task | Description | |-|-| | Create your data foundation easily | App Engine Studio templates contain default data tables that include everything you must deliver base system app functionality. Using the Table Builder app included with AES, you can edit or add new tables, add and delete columns, change table types, and more. You can also import existing data from spreadsheets, making it easy to automate existing manual spreadsheet-driven workflows. | | Deliver great experiences | Experiences are role-based user interfaces that end users access to interact with your app. AES includes several distinct experience types, including configurable workspaces, portals, catalog items, and mobile experiences. You can add an experience by following a few simple steps. For example, you can quickly create a workspace by adding a name and description, a URL, and the roles that can access the workspace. Then you can tailor the workspace experience to the needs of your organization using the Workspace Builder tool within AES. More advanced configurations can be edited in UI Builder. | | Automate your apps with workflow templates | AES templates include a set of powerful digital workflows that you can use to simplify the user experience, increase productivity, and strengthen your business processes. Simply choose from a list of common automation activities, and let the wizard quickly guide you through configuring the workflow. To adapt template-generated workflows to your needs, launch the Workflow Studio app to edit workflows. | | Keep your apps secure | You can maintain control over who uses your apps by adding roles in AES. The app templates include predefined roles, giving you a head-start on security. You can add or delete existing roles, or create roles to meet your security needs. | [ ] {#exploring-aes__table_gcq_qsp_k5b} ## Scale development while maintaining oversight {#exploring-aes__section_zkt_wwp_k5b} App Engine Studio lets you scale development across your organization while establishing and maintaining guardrails. You can control access to AES. You can also review apps created by your citizen developers before they're moved through your pipeline and published to your production environment. This review process gives you confidence to ensure the quality of the apps you create, release, and deploy. ## What to explore next {#exploring-aes__section_ekp_fxv_4bc} To learn more about configuring and using App Engine Studio, see: * [Configuring App Engine Studio and related apps](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/lGk2Km9qGcSdnYXE_kfHQQ "App Engine Studio (AES) configuration involves installing the application and completing guided setup, which walks you through the implementation process, one step at a time. After you finish each setup procedure, you're prompted to begin the next one.") * [Building apps in App Engine Studio](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/cFm3eBOiJVW5Yyl8CtqTBQ "Meet the business needs of your organization by building custom applications in App Engine Studio (AES).") * [App Engine Studio reference](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/ZEPN7PfzjA6NdaNhnazOTg "Reference topics provide additional information about the lists and forms that you use to configure and administer App Engine Studio (AES).") {#exploring-aes__ul_tj2_3xv_4bc}