Building spokes using Spoke Generator

  • Release version: Xanadu
  • Updated September 2, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Building spokes using Spoke Generator

    Spoke Generator enables ServiceNow customers to automate integration tasks by creating reusable sequences called spokes. These spokes facilitate inbound and outbound integrations with third-party applications without scripting, streamlining the development of custom integrations within Integration Hub. A valid Integration Hub subscription is required to use this feature.

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    Key Features

    • Spoke Creation Methods: Build custom spokes by importing OpenAPI Specifications or Postman collections, using documentation snippets with Now Assist, or creating spokes manually.
    • Reusable Actions: Automate integrations by generating reusable actions that can be added or modified within spokes.
    • App Installation: The Spoke Generator (snspokebuilder) app is available on the ServiceNow Store and requires the ServiceNow IntegrationHub Professional Pack Installer plugin as a dependency. Appropriate licensing may be necessary.
    • User Roles:
      • Admins can create spokes, import specifications, create connection aliases, publish and draft actions, and view activity logs.
      • Users with actiondesigner and fdreadactions roles can view spokes and actions, with actiondesigner able to add actions manually.
      • Flow operators and designers can view flows and subflows.
    • Import Limits and Configuration:
      • OpenAPI Specification imports have a default size limit of 10 MB, configurable up to 100 MB via system properties.
      • The number of API operations imported is limited to 500 by default, adjustable up to 1000.
    • OpenAPI Specification Support: Supports many OpenAPI 3.0 components but excludes certain elements such as oneOf, anyOf, discriminator, callbacks, security schemes, and others, which may affect action creation.
    • Request Body Constraints: Only JSON media types are supported for request bodies in OpenAPI imports.

    Practical Outcomes

    By leveraging Spoke Generator, ServiceNow customers can efficiently develop custom integrations with third-party APIs, minimizing the need for manual scripting. This accelerates integration deployment, improves reusability of actions, and enhances maintainability within the Integration Hub environment. Understanding role permissions and system limits ensures smooth setup and operation of spokes tailored to organizational needs.

    Automate integration tasks by creating a sequence of reusable actions to develop custom integrations called spokes.

    Request apps on the Store

    Visit the ServiceNow Store website to view all the available apps, for information about submitting requests to the store, and to download and install Spoke Generator (sn_spoke_builder). For cumulative release notes information for all released apps, see the ServiceNow Store version history release notes.

    App dependencies

    If you’re having trouble installing the app, ensure that the dependent plugin, ServiceNow IntegrationHub Professional Pack Installer (com.glide.hub.integrations.professional) is installed.

    Note:
    Some of these plugins are licensable features and require appropriate licenses, if used outside the spoke implementation.

    Capabilities

    An Integration Hub custom spoke provides both inbound and outbound integration with third-party applications. These integrations, referred to as spokes, are easy to configure and enable you to quickly add powerful actions without the need to write a script. This feature requires an Integration Hub subscription. For more information, see Legal schedules - IntegrationHub overview.

    You can build custom spokes for the required third-party application by importing an OpenAPI Specification or Postman collection, documentation snippets from third-party API documentation, or creating a spoke manually.

    Required user roles

    • Users with the admin role can:
      • View the Spokes tab.
      • Create a new spoke.
      • Import an OpenAPI Specification.
      • Create connection alias.
      • Publish actions and save actions as drafts.
      • See spoke activity log.
    • Users with the action_designer and fd_read_actions roles can:
      • View the Spokes tab.
      • See actions in a spoke.
    • Users with the action_designer role can add actions manually.
      Note:
      Users with just the fd_read_actions role can only see actions.
    • Users with the flow_operator or flow_designer can view flows and subflows.

    OpenAPI Specification size limit

    By default, the system can import OpenAPI Specifications up to 10 MB. To increase the import size, update the glide.rest.openapi.max_request_size system property. The maximum value is 100 MB.

    Limitations of OpenAPI Specification

    Spoke actions created by importing OpenAPI specification, contain the OpenAPI step. Ensure that you are aware of these OpenAPI step limitations.

    Request body media types
    The request body only supports JSON media types.
    Note:
    A string type output object is created when the OpenAPI schema has additionalProperties or no properties.
    OpenAPI 3.0 components

    OpenAPI 3.0 adds new components to Swagger 2.0 to describe an API in further detail. OpenAPI support in the OpenAPI step supports some, but not all of these components. The OpenAPI step does not currently support these components.

    • Schema Object: oneOf, anyOf, additionalProperties properties
    • Discriminator Object
    • Info object: termsOfService, contact, license fields
    • Example Object
    • Link Object
    • Callback Object
    • Security Scheme Object
    • Security Requirements Object
    • Tag Object
    • External Documentation Object
    • Server Object
    • Specification extensions
    • Recursive references

    More information on these components is available in the OpenAPI documentation. See OpenAPI Specification.

    Maximum number of operations supported
    The number of API operations is limited to 500 by default. However, using the system property glide.rest.openapi.max_operation_limit, you can configure the number of operations from 1 through 1000.

    App version

    Spoke Generator v4.1.4 is the latest version.