AES integration with a Git source control repository

  • Release version: Xanadu
  • Updated August 1, 2024
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of AES integration with a Git source control repository

    ServiceNow’s App Engine Studio (AES) enables application developers to integrate with Git source control repositories on non-production instances. This integration allows developers to save, manage, and version their applications efficiently by linking each application to its own Git repository. It supports importing, committing, pulling remote changes, creating tags, and managing branches directly within AES.

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    Integration requirements

    • Users must have the admin role to link applications to Git source control.
    • The non-production instance must have network access to the Git repository.
    • Each application requires a dedicated Git repository with appropriate read/write credentials.
    • All developers on an instance share a single set of repository credentials.

    Capabilities within App Engine Studio

    Once linked, developers can perform key Git operations from AES, such as:

    • Editing repository credentials
    • Committing local changes
    • Applying remote changes
    • Creating and switching branches
    • Importing applications from remote repositories

    Note that source control integration is not supported on production instances. Production applications can be managed via application repository, update sets, or AES application sharing features.

    Git repository management

    Outside of AES, limited modifications to linked application files are supported. Developers can reorganize files and edit them externally with these considerations:

    • A snsourcecontrol.properties file at the repository root specifies the application path if files are moved.
    • A checksum.txt file tracks changes made outside AES to trigger validation and sanitization.
    • The sanitization process includes upgrade logging, removal of unsupported files, and validation checks that can abort or skip operations based on XML schema compliance.
    • Only content within the specified application path is sanitized; other repository content is ignored.

    MID Server support and permissions

    Using an existing MID Server allows connection to Git repositories behind firewalls, facilitating secure access. Role permissions govern source control access and collaboration within AES, ensuring proper control over repository interactions.

    Editing Git repository configurations

    Developers can modify Git integration settings within AES to update network protocols, credentials, and other configuration fields to maintain connectivity and security.

    Enable application developers to integrate App Engine Studio (AES) with a Git source control repository to save and manage multiple versions of an application from a non-production instance.

    Linking an application to source control enables all application developers on a non-production instance to:
    • Import applications from a Git repository.
    • Pull and apply remote changes from a Git repository.
    • Commit all local changes on the instance to a Git repository.
    • Create tags to permanently link to a given version of an application.
    • Create branches to maintain multiple versions of an application simultaneously.

    Integration requirements

    To link an application to source control:
    • The user must have the admin role.
    • The non-production instance must have network access to the Git repository.
    • Each application must be within its own Git repository.
    • The repository user credentials must grant read and write access.
    Note:
    All application developers on the instance share a single set of credentials per repository.

    Options available from App Engine Studio

    After linking an application to source control, application developers can use App Engine Studio to manage the repository. From App Engine Studio, developers can:
    • Edit the application repository credentials.
    • Commit all local changes on the instance.
    • Apply remote changes from the repository.
    • Create a branch.
    • Switch branches.
    • Import an application from a remote repository.

    Source control integration does not support managing applications on a production instance. Instead, you can manage applications on a production instance using the application repository, an update set, or App Engine Studio. For more information about managing applications on a production instance, see Application sharing.

    Options available from a Git repository

    The ServiceNow platform offers limited support for modifying linked application files outside of an instance. From Git, developers can:
    • Move application files to a different Git directory structure.
    • Edit application files outside of App Engine Studio.

    The system generates a properties text file called sn_source_control.properties at the root level of the repository. To move application files to a different Git directory structure, application developers can set the path parameter to specify the subfolder path containing their application files. For example, if you moved your application to the src/app subfolder, set the path to path=src/app.

    The system generates a checksum.txt file in the Git repository to determine if any application files have been changed outside of App Engine Studio. When the checksum value from the file matches the current checksum value, the integration skips the validation and sanitization process. When the checksum values do not match, the integration validates and sanitizes the application files as part of the source control operation. The sanitization process:
    • Creates upgrade log entries for each sanitization action taken.
    • Removes unsupported folders and files from the repository.
    • Aborts all source control operations when a system application file fails XML schema validation. For example, if a database dictionary record fails XML schema validation, the system aborts all operations.
    • Skips the current source control operation when a non-system application file fails XML schema validation.

    The Git integration sanitizes only content within the application path listed in the sn_source_control.properties file. Repository content outside the application path is ignored.

    MID Server support

    Use an existing MID Server to connect to a source control repository. Connecting an application through a MID Server enables access to repositories behind a firewall.

    Source control role permissions

    For more information on roles and collaborators, see Application collaboration.