Applications in ServiceNow Studio
You can build, manage, and deploy custom, base system, or global applications and global metadata records in ServiceNow Studio — all from a single environment, based on your permissions.
What are ServiceNow applications?
A ServiceNow app is a package that performs a specific task for a specified group of users. Think of an app as a container with a set of rules around who can access and edit it. For example, ServiceNow apps can include an API, a table, a workspace, a form, a flow, or any combination of those things.
Applications range from a few files to thousands of files. In ServiceNow Studio, you can create and work on apps of any size with a variety of file types, based on your permissions.
How do I create an application?
Use either Create button on the ServiceNow Studio home page to start creating an app with metadata records. For more information, see Create an application in ServiceNow Studio.
[Omitted image "sn-studio-create-button-bs1.png"] Alt text: Use either Create button on the home page to begin working on a new application.
Create an app in source code by selecting the Explorer tab and selecting the add to workspace icon [Omitted image "sn-studio-add-to-workspace-icon.png"] Alt text:. Then select Create an application. For more information, see Building apps in source code in ServiceNow Studio.
[Omitted image "sn-studio-create-source-code-app.png"] Alt text: Select Add to workspace and then select create an application.
Opening an existing application for the first time
When you open ServiceNow Studio for the first time, open your apps from the Navigator panel on the left side of the screen. Search for the app by name or select it from the list.
[Omitted image "sn-studio-app-list-bs1.png"] Alt text: The Navigator panel shows a list of applications in ServiceNow Studio.
Selecting an app opens its full contents in the Navigator panel, with all file types organized by category, such as Automation. Select App details to open the app in a new tab.
[Omitted image "sn-studio-app-details.png"] Alt text: Open the app in a new tab by selecting App details.
For more information, see Find an app or app file using the Navigator panel.
For more information about working with your application from App details, see App details page.
Opening apps for continued work
After you open an app for the first time, it appears in the Recents section on the ServiceNow Studio home page and the Recent section in the Navigator panel.
[Omitted image "sn-studio-recently-opened.png"] Alt text: Recently opened apps and app files are available directly from the home page.
- Create an application in ServiceNow Studio
Create a custom application in ServiceNow Studio, then add data, automation, or other app files using integrated development tools and builders. - Create an app file in ServiceNow Studio
Create an app file in ServiceNow Studio to define how an aspect of an application functions — such as which users can access it or how it processes data. - App details page
The App details page in ServiceNow Studio shows metadata about your app and provides access to common development actions — including creating files, updating app settings, and publishing your app for deployment. - Bookmark apps and app files in ServiceNow Studio
Bookmark apps and app files in ServiceNow Studio so you can access them quickly from the Bookmarks tab in the Navigator panel. - Preview an app file in ServiceNow Studio
Preview app files in ServiceNow Studio before publishing to confirm that the file looks and functions as expected. Only files with a user interface support preview. - Find an app or app file using code search
Use code search in ServiceNow Studio to search through all applications and tables on an instance to locate a specific app, app file, or code snippet. - Delete an app from ServiceNow Studio
Delete apps that are no longer needed from ServiceNow Studio to remove them permanently from the instance.
Parent Topic:Using ServiceNow Studio
--- title: Applications in ServiceNow Studio description: You can build, manage, and deploy custom, base system, or global applications and global metadata records in ServiceNow Studio — all from a single environment, based on your permissions. locale: en-US canonical_url: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/application-development/servicenow-studio-classic/working-with-apps-in-servicenow-studio.html release: australia product: ServiceNow Studio Classic classification: servicenow-studio-classic topic_type: concept last_updated: "2026-09-10" reading_time_minutes: 3 breadcrumb: [Use, ServiceNow Studio, Build, AI Workflow Factory Prime, Agentic app development, Building applications] --- # Applications in ServiceNow Studio You can build, manage, and deploy custom, base system, or global applications and global metadata records in ServiceNow Studio — all from a single environment, based on your permissions. ## What are ServiceNow applications? A ServiceNow app is a package that performs a specific task for a specified group of users. Think of an app as a container with a set of rules around who can access and edit it. For example, ServiceNow apps can include an API, a table, a workspace, a form, a flow, or any combination of those things. Applications range from a few files to thousands of files. In ServiceNow Studio, you can create and work on apps of any size with a variety of file types, based on your permissions. ## How do I create an application? Use either **Create** button on the ServiceNow Studio home page to start creating an app with metadata records. For more information, see [Create an application in ServiceNow Studio](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/application-development/servicenow-studio-classic/create-an-application-in-servicenow-studio.md). \[Omitted image "sn-studio-create-button-bs1.png"\] Alt text: Use either Create button on the home page to begin working on a new application. Create an app in source code by selecting the Explorer tab and selecting the add to workspace icon \[Omitted image "sn-studio-add-to-workspace-icon.png"\] Alt text:. Then select **Create an application**. For more information, see [Building apps in source code in ServiceNow Studio](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/application-development/servicenow-studio-classic/building-apps-in-source-code-sn-studio.md). \[Omitted image "sn-studio-create-source-code-app.png"\] Alt text: Select Add to workspace and then select create an application. ## Opening an existing application for the first time When you open ServiceNow Studio for the first time, open your apps from the Navigator panel on the left side of the screen. Search for the app by name or select it from the list. \[Omitted image "sn-studio-app-list-bs1.png"\] Alt text: The Navigator panel shows a list of applications in ServiceNow Studio. Selecting an app opens its full contents in the Navigator panel, with all file types organized by category, such as Automation. Select **App details** to open the app in a new tab. \[Omitted image "sn-studio-app-details.png"\] Alt text: Open the app in a new tab by selecting App details. For more information, see [Find an app or app file using the Navigator panel](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/application-development/servicenow-studio-classic/qs-find-app-app-file-using-navigator-panel.md). For more information about working with your application from App details, see [App details page](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/application-development/servicenow-studio-classic/app-details-page.md). ## Opening apps for continued work After you open an app for the first time, it appears in the Recents section on the ServiceNow Studio home page and the **Recent** section in the Navigator panel. \[Omitted image "sn-studio-recently-opened.png"\] Alt text: Recently opened apps and app files are available directly from the home page. - **[Create an application in ServiceNow Studio](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/application-development/servicenow-studio-classic/create-an-application-in-servicenow-studio.md)** Create a custom application in ServiceNow Studio, then add data, automation, or other app files using integrated development tools and builders. - **[Create an app file in ServiceNow Studio](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/application-development/servicenow-studio-classic/sn-studio-create-app-file.md)** Create an app file in ServiceNow Studio to define how an aspect of an application functions — such as which users can access it or how it processes data. - **[App details page](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/application-development/servicenow-studio-classic/app-details-page.md)** The App details page in ServiceNow Studio shows metadata about your app and provides access to common development actions — including creating files, updating app settings, and publishing your app for deployment. - **[Bookmark apps and app files in ServiceNow Studio](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/application-development/servicenow-studio-classic/bookmark-apps-and-app-files.md)** Bookmark apps and app files in ServiceNow Studio so you can access them quickly from the Bookmarks tab in the Navigator panel. - **[Preview an app file in ServiceNow Studio](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/application-development/servicenow-studio-classic/preview-app-file.md)** Preview app files in ServiceNow Studio before publishing to confirm that the file looks and functions as expected. Only files with a user interface support preview. - **[Find an app or app file using code search](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/application-development/servicenow-studio-classic/find-app-app-file-using-code-search.md)** Use code search in ServiceNow Studio to search through all applications and tables on an instance to locate a specific app, app file, or code snippet. - **[Delete an app from ServiceNow Studio](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/application-development/servicenow-studio-classic/delete-an-app-from-servicenow-studio.md)** Delete apps that are no longer needed from ServiceNow Studio to remove them permanently from the instance. **Parent Topic:**[Using ServiceNow Studio](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/application-development/servicenow-studio-classic/using-servicenow-studio.md)
| title | Applications in ServiceNow Studio |
| description | You can build, manage, and deploy custom, base system, or global applications and global metadata records in ServiceNow Studio — all from a single environment, based on your permissions. |
| locale | en-US |
| canonical_url | https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/application-development/servicenow-studio-classic/working-with-apps-in-servicenow-studio.html |
| release | australia |
| product | ServiceNow Studio Classic |
| classification | servicenow-studio-classic |
| topic_type | concept |
| last_updated | 2026-09-10 |
| reading_time_minutes | 3 |
| breadcrumb | UseServiceNow StudioBuildAI Workflow Factory PrimeAgentic app developmentBuilding applications |