--- 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 ReleaseOps {#ariaid-title1} Release version: Australia Updated June 9, 2026 ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 4 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 ReleaseOps ServiceNow® ReleaseOps is designed to automate and enhance the deployment of changes, customizations, and custom applications on the ServiceNow AI Platform. By streamlining deployment processes through automation and managing cross-instance trust and credentials internally, ReleaseOps increases deployment reliability and reduces risks associated with manual releases. Deployments are organized into releases, which contain deployment requests made up of update sets or application installs. The solution integrates with ServiceNow Studio and leverages ServiceNow Playbooks for automated, error-reduced deployments. Note that ReleaseOps is not supported in regulated or on-premise environments and availability depends on your ServiceNow entitlements. Show full answer Show less ## Key Features * **Automated Deployment Process:** Simplifies setup and management of pipelines, enabling deployment triggers directly from ServiceNow Studio. * **Cross-Instance Communication:** Manages credentials and trust internally to facilitate secure orchestration across instances. * **Release and Deployment Request Management:** Releases schedule and define changes to move to production, while deployment requests bundle update sets or app installs for deployment. * **AI Capabilities:** Generates release notes and update set descriptions, enhancing documentation and communication. * **Role-Based Workflow:** Supports pipeline managers (manage pipelines and playbooks), release managers (create/schedule releases and validate contents), developers (create deployment requests), and testers (manage test sign-offs and feedback). * **Customizable Workflow:** Includes a sample pipeline workflow that can be tailored, incorporating Automated Test Framework (ATF) runs, instance scans, and runbook tasks for manual activities during assessment and release stages. ## Typical Workflow The release manager creates and activates releases linked to pipelines. Developers prepare update sets within deployment requests and mark them ready for assessment. The assessment playbook runs ATF tests and instance scans, with testers managing failures and sign-offs. Runbook tasks allow manual interventions during assessment and release phases. Once all criteria are met, deployment requests move to production on the scheduled release date, completing the release lifecycle. ## Benefits * **Clear Requirement Definition:** Pipelines help specify criteria for deploying applications or updates. * **Controlled Deployment Management:** Releases organize and schedule deployments to production or target environments. * **Efficient Deployment Requests:** Developers can push update sets or application installs through defined deployment requests. * **Deployment Analysis:** The deployment analyzer scans requests against target instance states, improving decision-making and test coverage. * **Flexible Manual Interventions:** Runbook tasks enable adding custom activities without altering playbook structures. ## Next Steps for ServiceNow Customers To effectively implement ReleaseOps, customers should explore configuration and usage guides covering: * Setting up ReleaseOps in their environment * Managing deployments through ReleaseOps * Creating and promoting update sets and deployment requests * Scheduling and running releases These resources will help maximize automation benefits, improve deployment reliability, and reduce manual errors in your ServiceNow platform change management. ServiceNow® ReleaseOps is a solution to problem of deploying changes, customizations, and custom apps on the ServiceNow AI Platform. By automating the deployment process, ReleaseOps helps to increase the predictability and reliability of deployments, while also reducing the risk of releasing unwanted changes to production. ## ReleaseOps overview {#exploring-release-ops__cf-exploring-parent-overview} ReleaseOps automates and enhances the process of deploying changes, customizations, and custom applications on the ServiceNow AI Platform. ReleaseOps improves the existing pipelines deployment process by internally managing cross-instance trust and credential sharing, simplifying the setup and configuration of custom pipelines. ReleaseOps enables you to deploy changes using update sets and trigger deployment from directly within the ServiceNow Studio development environment. In addition, ReleaseOps leverages the automation capabilities of the ServiceNow Playbooks, resulting in deployments that are less error-prone and manual. ReleaseOps handles deployments through releases. Releases define which changes, customizations, or custom apps will be moved to the production (or target) instance and when the changes will be deployed. The changes within a release are contained in deployment requests. Each deployment request contains one or more update sets or application installs. For more information about releases and deployment requests, see [Releases in ReleaseOps](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/qnxHS8ClWqx1iW5dNNbF~w "Scheduled and on-demand releases are how changes are deployed to target instances with ReleaseOps. Releases can contain one or more deployment requests.") and [Deployment requests in ReleaseOps](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/z_41zEBe6Q9n3_yWTCmttw "Deployment requests contain one or more update sets, and are contained in a release."). Releases are managed from your production instance, where the playbook is executed. Actions are orchestrated across instance with a cross-instance communication layer, alleviating credential setup across instances. ## ReleaseOps availability {#exploring-release-ops__section_sb2_z5n_njc} ReleaseOps is not supported in regulated environments or on-premise. Check your entitlements to determine whether you have access to ReleaseOps. ## AI features in ReleaseOps {#exploring-release-ops__ai-features-in-releaseops} Note: Depending on your license, you will have access to certain application features, generative AI skills, agentic workflows, and AI agents. For more information, see [ServiceNow product tiers](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=ai-native-sku-overview&version=australia&pubname=australia-intelligent-experiences&ft:locale=en-US). ReleaseOps contains AI features that enable you to generate release notes and update set descriptions. For more information, see [Exploring release lifecycle documentation AI agent](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/N~Md9xsZe_Kvrl4EPeFvPg "Learn about how the release lifecycle documentation AI agent works to help you to manage application development at scale by generating useful, transparent documentation throughout the app lifecycle."). ## ReleaseOps users {#exploring-release-ops__cf-exploring-parent-users} {#exploring-release-ops__table_o3d_jq4_zfc__entry__2} | Role | Description | |-|-| | Pipeline manager | A pipeline manager is responsible for creating and managing pipelines, including customizing playbooks. Pipelines define the flow of your deployments. | | Release manager | A release manager is responsible for creating and scheduling releases, as well as verifying that the contents of a release are both relevant and correct. The release manager can remove deployment request items that don't meet the criteria for the release. | | Developer | A developer is responsible for creating deployment requests to push application installations or update sets of work completed through the pipeline. | | Tester | A tester is responsible for signing off on ATF test failures that occur to enable a deployment to continue. A tester can also send it back to development. | [Table 1. Users] {#exploring-release-ops__table_o3d_jq4_zfc} ## ReleaseOps workflow {#exploring-release-ops__cf-exploring-parent-workflow} The following workflow illustrates the sample pipeline workflow installed with ReleaseOps. Your pipeline manager can customize it as needed. Figure 1. ReleaseOps sample pipeline workflow In the traditional development to test to production workflow: 1. The release manager creates a release, which is associated with a pipeline. 2. Developers create and promote update sets, adding them to an existing deployment request or create a new deployment request, which is targeted to a release. 3. Developers add runbook tasks to deployment requests to enable custom and manual activities to occur throughout the assessment and release playbook stages. 4. When the update sets within a deployment request are functional and ready to be deployed, a developer sets the deployment request state to the Ready to assess. 5. The assessment playbook runs, during which Automated Test Framework (ATF) test suites and instance scans are run on the changes in the deployment request. 6. If there are failures during assessment, deployment tasks are created that the tester can sign off on or redirect to the developer to address. 7. If there are any runbook tasks set to occur during the assessment playbook stage, progression pauses until the runbook tasks have been addressed. 8. Once the deployment and runbook tasks have been addressed, the deployment request state is set to Ready for deployment. 9. On the scheduled date for the release, the release playbook runs. 10. If there are any runbook tasks set to occur during the release playbook stage, progression pauses until the runbook tasks have been addressed. 11. Once the runbook tasks have been addressed, all deployment requests in the Ready for deployment state move through the pipeline to production. {#exploring-release-ops__ol_rg1_3hl_1gc} Figure 2. ReleaseOps sample release workflow In the traditional release workflow: 1. A release manager creates a release and sets the state to Active. 2. On the scheduled freeze date, the release begins preparing for deployment. 3. During the preparation process, deployment requests that aren't ready are set to Deferred and can be attached to a future release. 4. Once preparation is complete, the release state is set to Ready for deployment. 5. When the release date arrives, the update sets within the deployment requests move from test to production in the order that they were deployed in the last instance. 6. The release and deployment requests are set to Complete. {#exploring-release-ops__ol_i1r_mbg_cgc} ## ReleaseOps benefits {#exploring-release-ops__cf-exploring-parent-benefits} {#exploring-release-ops__table_r3d_jq4_zfc__entry__3} | Benefit | Feature | Role | |-|-|-| | Define requirements for an application or update to get installed on a target instance. | [Pipelines in ReleaseOps](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/~pzab3ycwqQWPFmmDtTXzw "A pipeline is the flow of a deployment in ReleaseOps. A pipeline's flow is defined within playbooks, which enables you to customize as needed.") | Pipeline Manager | | Deploy changes to a production or another target environment. | [Releases in ReleaseOps](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/qnxHS8ClWqx1iW5dNNbF~w "Scheduled and on-demand releases are how changes are deployed to target instances with ReleaseOps. Releases can contain one or more deployment requests.") | Release Manager | | Push application installations or update sets of work completed through the pipeline with deployment requests. | [Deployment requests in ReleaseOps](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/z_41zEBe6Q9n3_yWTCmttw "Deployment requests contain one or more update sets, and are contained in a release.") | Developer | | Scan deployment requests for changes to the current state of the production instance or target instance with the deployment analyzer. Use those findings to determine your actions in the pipeline. | [Deployment analyzer in ReleaseOps](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/JJ43eysEpVc0rAR6dy~nkQ "The deployment analyzer reviews the update set in your release against rules to verify compliance with customizable rules.") | Developer | | Leverage Automated Test Framework (ATF) code coverage to improve the efficacy of ATF test suites. | [Deployment analyzer in ReleaseOps](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/JJ43eysEpVc0rAR6dy~nkQ "The deployment analyzer reviews the update set in your release against rules to verify compliance with customizable rules.") | Developer | | Add custom, flexible, and manual activities to your assessment and release playbooks, without having to adjust the structure of your playbooks each time. | [Runbook tasks in ReleaseOps](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/VzjXJ~01C8IzRNJOphVoSA "Learn about how runbook tasks enable flexibility in ReleaseOps deployments, without needing to customize playbooks each time.") | Developer | [Table 2. ReleaseOps benefits] {#exploring-release-ops__table_r3d_jq4_zfc} ## What to explore next {#exploring-release-ops__cf-exploring-parent-links} To learn more about configuring and using ReleaseOps, see: * [Configuring ReleaseOps](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/GfgRkZjHbcNRLoLQSHQ6tw "Configure ReleaseOps to move changes from development to testing to production.") * [Using ReleaseOps to manage deployments](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/WcMlRcHBoDGGsJ0VXx4keg "Use ReleaseOps to automate the process of managing your releases and deploying changes to a target instance.") * [Promote an update set for deployment](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/KAtoxVAuD5ZYnd~jbSWD2g "When you're ready to deploy your changes, promote your update set to begin the deployment process.") * [Create a deployment request for a scheduled release](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/toftZrlbsaAlRjTYZT9gTg "Create a deployment request for a scheduled release to contain your update set and enable your changes to move through the pipeline for deployment.") * [Create a deployment request for an on-demand release](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/zAgOjL9jiCzhLONSGLR8AA "Create a deployment request for changes that will deployed with an on-demand release.") * [Attach an update set to an existing deployment request](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/Sr2~tPlX2gO90qu0201JPw "If you want to attach multiple update sets to a deployment request, you can attach an update set to an existing deployment request on the Deploy an update set form.") * [Create a release](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/PDv8jjYf5E03XygXS44www "Specify the details for your release, including the target instance that the changes will be deployed to and when the release should occur.") {#exploring-release-ops__ul_s3d_jq4_zfc}