Business Rules in ServiceNow are server-side scripts that execute when a record is displayed, inserted, updated, deleted, or queried in a database table. They are one of the most powerful and commonly used automation mechanisms in the ServiceNow platform, playing a critical role in the Certified Application Developer exam and Application Automation concepts.

Business Rules operate at four key timing points: 'before', 'after', 'async', and 'display'. **Before** business rules run before the database operation, making them ideal for data validation, field manipulation, or aborting transactions. **After** business rules execute after the database operation is committed, suitable for triggering notifications, updating related records, or logging activities. **Async** business rules run asynchronously after the operation, offloading processing to a scheduled job queue to improve performance. **Display** business rules execute when a form is loaded, allowing developers to manipulate values shown to the user without altering database records.

Business Rules can be configured using conditions (filter-based) or scripts for more complex logic. They have access to the **current** object (representing the current record) and the **previous** object (representing the record's state before the update). Developers can use methods like current.update(), current.setAbortAction(true), and gs.addErrorMessage() to control behavior.

Key best practices include: avoiding recursive updates by using current.update() cautiously, leveraging conditions over scripts when possible for maintainability, and using async rules for heavy processing to reduce user wait times. Developers should also be mindful of the execution order, which is controlled by the 'Order' field.

Business Rules are essential for enforcing business logic, maintaining data integrity, and automating workflows across ServiceNow applications. Understanding when to use them versus other mechanisms like Client Scripts, Script Includes, or Flow Designer is a fundamental skill tested in the Certified Application Developer exam. Proper implementation ensures scalable, performant, and maintainable applications.

Business Rules in ServiceNow are server-side scripts that execute when database records are queried, inserted, updated, deleted, or displayed. They come in four types based on when they run relative to the database operation:

**1. Before Business Rules:**
These execute before the database operation occurs. They are ideal for modifying field values, validating data, or preventing an operation altogether. Since they run before the record is saved, they can directly modify the 'current' object without needing an additional update() call. Common use cases include setting default values, field validation, and data manipulation before insertion or update. They are efficient because changes are applied in the same database transaction.

**2. After Business Rules:**
These execute immediately after the database operation completes but within the same transaction. They are used for actions that depend on the committed record, such as creating related records, sending events, or updating other tables. Since the record is already saved, any modifications to 'current' require an explicit update() call. They are commonly used for cascading updates and triggering workflows.

**3. Async Business Rules:**
These run after the database operation but in a separate transaction on a scheduled job queue. They are designed for operations that are resource-intensive or non-time-critical, such as sending notifications, making external API calls, or performing complex calculations. Running asynchronously prevents performance degradation of the user experience. They use the scheduler and do not block the original transaction.

**4. Display Business Rules:**
These execute when a record is loaded for viewing in a form (query operation) but before the form is rendered to the user. They are unique because they allow setting values in the scratchpad (g_scratchpad), which can pass server-side data to client-side scripts. They do not affect database operations but are useful for dynamically controlling form behavior and populating calculated fields for display purposes.

Understanding these types helps developers optimize performance, ensure proper execution order, and choose the right rule type for each automation scenario.

GlideRecord is one of the most fundamental and widely used APIs in ServiceNow development. It provides a powerful interface for performing database operations on ServiceNow tables, enabling developers to query, insert, update, and delete records programmatically through server-side JavaScript.

At its core, GlideRecord acts as an object-oriented representation of a database table record. When you instantiate a GlideRecord object, you specify the table name, and then you can build queries and interact with records in that table.

**Key Operations:**

1. **Querying Records:** Using methods like `addQuery()`, `addEncodedQuery()`, and `query()`, developers can retrieve specific records based on conditions. The `next()` method iterates through the result set, similar to a database cursor.

2. **Inserting Records:** The `initialize()` method prepares a new record, after which field values can be set using `setValue()`, and `insert()` commits the new record to the database.

3. **Updating Records:** After querying existing records, developers can modify field values and call `update()` to save changes. For bulk updates, `updateMultiple()` efficiently updates all matching records.

4. **Deleting Records:** The `deleteRecord()` method removes individual records, while `deleteMultiple()` removes all records matching a query.

**Common Methods:**
- `addQuery(field, operator, value)` – Adds a filter condition
- `get(sys_id)` – Retrieves a single record by sys_id
- `getRowCount()` – Returns the number of matching records
- `hasNext()` – Checks if more records exist in the result set
- `setLimit(n)` – Restricts the number of returned records
- `orderBy()` / `orderByDesc()` – Sorts results

**Best Practices:**
Developers should always use `setValue()` instead of direct dot-notation assignment for setting values, apply proper query filters to avoid performance issues, and use `setLimit()` when only a subset of records is needed. GlideRecord respects ACLs in scoped applications, ensuring security compliance.

For the Certified Application Developer exam, understanding GlideRecord is essential as it underpins Business Rules, Script Includes, Scheduled Jobs, and virtually all server-side scripting in ServiceNow.

The GlideSystem API, commonly referred to as 'gs', is one of the most fundamental and widely used server-side APIs in ServiceNow development. It provides a collection of methods that allow developers to interact with the system, retrieve information about the current session, and perform various utility operations within server-side scripts such as Business Rules, Script Includes, Scheduled Jobs, and UI Actions.

Key functionalities of the GlideSystem API include:

1. **Logging and Debugging**: Methods like gs.info(), gs.warn(), gs.error(), and gs.debug() allow developers to write messages to the system log at different severity levels, which is essential for troubleshooting and monitoring application behavior.

2. **User and Session Information**: Methods such as gs.getUserID(), gs.getUserName(), gs.getUserDisplayName(), and gs.hasRole() provide details about the currently logged-in user, enabling role-based logic and personalized scripting.

3. **System Properties**: gs.getProperty() allows developers to retrieve system properties stored in the sys_properties table, enabling configurable application behavior without hardcoding values.

4. **Messaging**: gs.addInfoMessage() and gs.addErrorMessage() display informational or error messages on the user interface, providing real-time feedback to users after form submissions or actions.

5. **Date and Time Utilities**: Methods like gs.now(), gs.nowDateTime(), gs.daysAgo(), gs.beginningOfLastMonth(), and gs.endOfNextYear() help developers work with date and time calculations efficiently.

6. **Event Management**: gs.eventQueue() allows developers to trigger events programmatically, which can be used to send notifications or initiate workflows.

7. **Table and Record Utilities**: gs.tableExists() checks for table existence, and gs.nil() evaluates whether a value is null or empty.

For Application Automation, the GlideSystem API is crucial because it enables developers to build dynamic, context-aware automation scripts. Whether generating notifications, enforcing security through role checks, or creating time-based scheduled logic, the GlideSystem API serves as a foundational tool for building robust and scalable ServiceNow applications. Understanding its capabilities is essential for passing the Certified Application Developer exam.

The GlideDateTime API is a powerful server-side API in ServiceNow used to manipulate date and time values. It provides a comprehensive set of methods for performing operations on date-time fields, making it essential for application developers working with temporal data in ServiceNow.

GlideDateTime objects store date and time values in the UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) format internally, but can display them in the user's local time zone. This ensures consistency across different time zones when handling date-time operations.

Key features and methods of the GlideDateTime API include:

1. **Creating Instances**: You can create a GlideDateTime object using `new GlideDateTime()` for the current date-time, or pass a specific date-time string as a parameter.

2. **Getting Values**: Methods like `getValue()`, `getDisplayValue()`, `getDate()`, `getTime()`, `getDayOfMonth()`, `getMonthLocalTime()`, and `getYearLocalTime()` allow retrieval of various date-time components.

3. **Setting Values**: Methods such as `setValue()`, `setDisplayValue()`, `setGlideDateTime()`, and `setValueUTC()` enable setting specific date-time values.

4. **Date-Time Arithmetic**: You can add or subtract time using `add()`, `addDaysLocalTime()`, `addDaysUTC()`, `addMonthsLocalTime()`, `addMonthsUTC()`, `addWeeksLocalTime()`, `addWeeksUTC()`, and `addYearsLocalTime()`.

5. **Comparisons**: Methods like `after()`, `before()`, `compareTo()`, `equals()`, and `onOrBefore()` help compare two GlideDateTime objects.

6. **Duration Calculations**: The `subtract()` method returns a GlideDuration object representing the difference between two GlideDateTime values.

7. **Timezone Handling**: Methods like `getTZOffset()` and `getLocalTime()` help manage timezone conversions.

In Application Automation, GlideDateTime is frequently used in Business Rules, Script Includes, Scheduled Jobs, and Flow Designer scripts to automate processes based on date-time conditions, calculate SLAs, set deadlines, and manage time-sensitive workflows. Understanding this API is critical for the Certified Application Developer exam and real-world ServiceNow development.

Script Includes in ServiceNow are reusable server-side JavaScript functions or classes that can be called from other server-side scripts, such as Business Rules, Scheduled Jobs, UI Actions, and other Script Includes. They serve as a foundational building block for application development and automation within the ServiceNow platform.

Script Includes are stored in the 'sys_script_include' table and are loaded on demand rather than being executed automatically. This makes them highly efficient, as they only consume resources when explicitly invoked. Each Script Include has a name, API name, and a script body that typically defines a class using the standard JavaScript prototype pattern.

There are several types of Script Includes:

1. **On-Demand/Classless**: Simple functions that execute specific logic when called.
2. **Class-Based**: Object-oriented structures using prototypes, allowing initialization via constructors and method definitions. These extend the 'AbstractAjaxProcessor' or other base classes.
3. **Client-Callable**: Script Includes that extend 'AbstractAjaxProcessor' and have the 'Client Callable' checkbox enabled, allowing them to be invoked from client-side scripts via GlideAjax.

Key features include:
- **Reusability**: Write once, use across multiple scripts and applications.
- **Encapsulation**: Bundle related logic into cohesive classes or functions.
- **Scope Management**: Script Includes respect application scoping, ensuring proper access control in scoped applications.
- **Extensibility**: Classes can extend other Script Includes, promoting inheritance and code modularity.

For the Certified Application Developer exam, understanding Script Includes is critical. You should know how to create them, invoke them from Business Rules and client scripts (via GlideAjax), manage scope access, and apply best practices such as avoiding hardcoded values, including proper error handling, and leveraging the 'initialize' method for constructors.

In application automation, Script Includes enable developers to centralize complex business logic, making workflows, integrations, and automated processes cleaner and more maintainable. They are essential for building scalable, enterprise-grade applications on the ServiceNow platform.

GlideAjax is a key mechanism in ServiceNow that enables asynchronous communication between client-side scripts (such as Client Scripts or UI Policies) and server-side Script Includes. Since client-side scripts cannot directly access server-side APIs like GlideRecord for security and performance reasons, GlideAjax acts as a bridge to facilitate this communication.

**How It Works:**

1. **Client-Side Call:** A client script creates a GlideAjax object, referencing a Script Include by name. Parameters are passed using the `addParam()` method. The special parameter `sysparm_name` specifies which server-side function to invoke.

2. **Server-Side Processing:** The corresponding Script Include must extend `AbstractAjaxProcessor`. The specified function executes server-side logic (e.g., querying records, performing calculations) and returns data using `this.newItem()` or by setting attributes on the response.

3. **Callback Response:** The client script receives the response asynchronously through a callback function, ensuring the user interface remains responsive without full page reloads.

**Example:**

Client Script:
```javascript
var ga = new GlideAjax('MyScriptInclude');
ga.addParam('sysparm_name', 'getDetails');
ga.addParam('sysparm_user_id', g_form.getValue('caller_id'));
ga.getXMLAnswer(function(response) {
g_form.setValue('description', response);
});
```

Script Include:
```javascript
var MyScriptInclude = Class.create();
MyScriptInclude.prototype = Object.extendsObject(AbstractAjaxProcessor, {
getDetails: function() {
var userID = this.getParameter('sysparm_user_id');
var gr = new GlideRecord('sys_user');
if (gr.get(userID)) {
return gr.getValue('email');
}
return '';
}
});
```

**Key Best Practices:**
- Always use asynchronous calls (`getXMLAnswer`) rather than synchronous (`getXMLWait`) to avoid freezing the UI.
- Mark the Script Include as **Client Callable** to make it accessible from GlideAjax.
- Minimize the data transferred between client and server for optimal performance.
- Validate inputs on the server side to prevent security vulnerabilities.

GlideAjax is essential for building dynamic, responsive ServiceNow applications while maintaining proper separation between client and server logic.

Flow Designer is a powerful automation tool within the ServiceNow platform that enables developers and non-developers alike to create, manage, and automate complex business processes without writing extensive code. It provides a visual, drag-and-drop interface for building workflows known as 'flows,' which automate multi-step processes triggered by specific events or conditions.

Key components of Flow Designer include:

1. **Triggers**: These define when a flow should execute. Triggers can be record-based (e.g., when a record is created or updated), schedule-based (e.g., daily or weekly), or application-based (e.g., inbound email or REST API calls).

2. **Actions**: These are the individual steps within a flow that perform specific operations, such as creating records, updating fields, sending notifications, making REST calls, or running scripts. ServiceNow provides built-in actions, and developers can also create custom actions called 'Action Designer' actions.

3. **Flow Logic**: This includes decision-making elements like If/Else conditions, loops (For Each), and parallel flows that allow branching and iteration within a workflow.

4. **Subflows**: Reusable flows that can be called from other flows, promoting modularity and reducing redundancy in automation design.

5. **Data Pills**: Dynamic references to data from triggers, previous actions, or flow inputs that allow data to be passed between steps seamlessly.

Flow Designer supports the concept of **Spokes**, which are scoped applications containing packaged actions and subflows for integrating with external systems like Slack, Microsoft Teams, Jira, and more via the IntegrationHub.

For the Certified Application Developer exam, understanding Flow Designer is essential because it represents ServiceNow's strategic direction for automation, replacing older workflow and orchestration tools. Developers should know how to build flows, create custom actions with inputs and outputs, handle error states, test and debug flows, and understand execution contexts and performance considerations. Flow Designer plays a critical role in building modern, maintainable, and scalable ServiceNow applications.

In ServiceNow's Flow Designer, Subflows and Actions are fundamental building blocks that enable developers to create automated, reusable, and modular workflows.

**Actions** are the smallest executable units in Flow Designer. They represent individual operations or steps that perform a specific task, such as creating a record, updating a field, sending an email, looking up a record, or making a REST API call. Actions consist of inputs, processing logic, and outputs. ServiceNow provides a library of out-of-the-box actions (like 'Create Record,' 'Update Record,' 'Ask for Approval,' and 'Send Email'), but developers can also build custom actions using the Action Designer. Custom actions can include scripts, REST steps, flow logic, and more, allowing developers to encapsulate complex business logic into reusable components. Each action can define input and output variables to pass data between steps.

**Subflows** are reusable sequences of actions and flow logic that can be called from within a parent flow or another subflow. Think of them as reusable mini-flows. Subflows help reduce redundancy by encapsulating commonly repeated processes into a single callable unit. For example, if multiple flows require an approval process followed by a notification, this sequence can be built once as a subflow and referenced wherever needed. Subflows support inputs and outputs, enabling them to receive data from the calling flow and return results back.

**Key Differences:**
- Actions perform a single discrete operation, while subflows orchestrate multiple actions and logic steps together.
- Subflows can contain actions, flow logic (like conditions and loops), and even other subflows.
- Actions are more granular; subflows are higher-level compositions.

**Benefits:**
- **Reusability:** Both promote the DRY (Don't Repeat Yourself) principle.
- **Modularity:** Complex processes are broken into manageable pieces.
- **Maintainability:** Updates to a subflow or action automatically propagate to all flows that use them.
- **Low-code approach:** Both enable developers and non-developers to build automation with minimal scripting.

Together, Actions and Subflows empower developers to build scalable, maintainable, and efficient automated workflows in ServiceNow.

The Classic Workflow Editor in ServiceNow is a graphical tool used to design and automate multi-step processes, known as workflows, that define how tasks and activities move through a system. It provides a drag-and-drop interface where developers and administrators can visually build workflows by connecting various activities in a logical sequence.

Key components of the Classic Workflow Editor include:

1. **Canvas**: The main workspace where workflow activities are placed and connected. It provides a visual representation of the entire workflow process from start to finish.

2. **Activity Palette**: A panel containing pre-built activities such as approvals, notifications, timers, conditions, tasks, and scripts that can be dragged onto the canvas.

3. **Transitions**: Lines connecting activities that define the flow direction and logic between steps. Conditions can be applied to transitions to control routing.

4. **Begin and End Activities**: Every workflow starts with a Begin activity and concludes with an End activity, marking the lifecycle of the workflow execution.

5. **Workflow Properties**: Configuration settings that define the workflow's table association, conditions for triggering, and general behavior.

Common activity types include:
- **Approval Activities**: User approvals and group approvals
- **Notification Activities**: Sending emails and alerts
- **Utility Activities**: Wait conditions, timers, and logging
- **Task Activities**: Creating catalog tasks or generating records
- **Script Activities**: Running custom JavaScript for advanced logic

Workflows can be triggered by record insertions, updates, or specific field value changes on associated tables. They are widely used for service catalog request fulfillment, change management approvals, and incident escalations.

It is important to note that ServiceNow has introduced Flow Designer as a more modern alternative to the Classic Workflow Editor, offering a streamlined, no-code/low-code approach. However, the Classic Workflow Editor remains supported and is still widely used in many instances, making it essential knowledge for ServiceNow Certified Application Developers working with legacy or complex automation scenarios.

Events and Notifications are core mechanisms in ServiceNow that enable automated communication and system responses to specific triggers within the platform.

**Events** are signals generated when something noteworthy occurs in the system, such as a record being created, updated, or meeting specific conditions. They serve as the foundation for triggering notifications, script actions, and other automated processes. Events are registered in the Event Registry (sysevent_register) and are fired using the gs.eventQueue() method in server-side scripts. When an event is fired, it is placed in the Event Queue (sysevent table), where it waits to be processed by the system. Key parameters include the event name, the triggering record (GlideRecord), and two optional parameter fields (parm1 and parm2) that can pass additional context such as user sys_ids or custom values.

**Notifications** are email-based alerts configured to respond to events or specific record conditions. They are set up in the Notifications module (sysevent_email_action table) and define who receives the message, what the message contains, and when it should be sent. Notifications can be triggered by events, record changes, or both. They support dynamic content through mail scripts, template literals, and dot-walking to reference related record fields. Recipients can be defined as users, groups, specific email addresses, or dynamically determined via scripts.

**Key Workflow:** A business rule or script fires an event → the event enters the Event Queue → the notification engine picks up the event → matches it to configured notifications → generates and sends emails to designated recipients.

**Best Practices** include using events rather than directly sending emails from business rules, as this decouples the triggering logic from the notification logic, enabling better maintainability and reusability. Administrators can also configure email layouts, digest intervals, and conditions to control notification behavior. Understanding Events and Notifications is essential for the Certified Application Developer exam, as they are fundamental to building automated, responsive ServiceNow applications.

Scheduled Script Executions in ServiceNow are a powerful automation feature that allows developers and administrators to run server-side JavaScript code at predefined intervals or specific times. They are a key component of the ServiceNow platform's automation capabilities and are essential knowledge for the Certified Application Developer exam.

Scheduled Script Executions, also known as Scheduled Jobs, can be found under System Definition > Scheduled Jobs. They enable automated tasks such as data cleanup, periodic updates, report generation, notifications, and integration synchronization without manual intervention.

There are several types of scheduled jobs in ServiceNow:

1. **Run Once**: Executes a script at a specific date and time, ideal for one-time tasks like data migrations.
2. **On Demand**: Manually triggered when needed.
3. **Daily**: Runs at a specified time every day.
4. **Weekly**: Executes on selected days of the week.
5. **Monthly**: Runs on a specific day each month.
6. **Periodically**: Executes at a defined repeat interval (e.g., every 15 minutes).

Key components of a Scheduled Script Execution include:
- **Name**: A descriptive identifier for the job.
- **Run As**: The user context under which the script executes.
- **Script**: The server-side JavaScript code to be executed.
- **Conditional**: Allows setting conditions for execution.
- **Active**: A toggle to enable or disable the job.

Best practices for Scheduled Script Executions include:
- Keeping scripts efficient to minimize system load.
- Using GlideRecord queries with proper filters to limit data processing.
- Implementing error handling and logging using gs.log() or gs.info().
- Avoiding long-running scripts that could impact system performance.
- Testing scripts thoroughly before scheduling in production.

Scheduled Script Executions are integral to application automation, enabling developers to build self-maintaining applications. They work alongside other automation tools like Flow Designer, Business Rules, and Script Includes to create comprehensive automated workflows within the ServiceNow ecosystem.

In ServiceNow, Inbound and Outbound Email are essential mechanisms that enable communication between the platform and external users or systems via email.

**Inbound Email** refers to emails received by the ServiceNow instance. When an email is sent to a designated ServiceNow email address, the system processes it using Inbound Email Actions (also known as Email Notifications or Inbound Actions). These are configured rules that determine how incoming emails are handled. For example, an inbound email can automatically create an incident, update an existing record, or add comments to a task. The system parses the email's subject, body, sender, and attachments to match it against defined conditions. Inbound email processing relies on POP3, IMAP, or Microsoft Exchange protocols to retrieve emails from a mail server. Key configurations include setting up email accounts, defining inbound actions with conditions and scripts, and establishing watermarks to link replies to existing records. This automation reduces manual effort and ensures timely response to user requests.

**Outbound Email** refers to emails sent from the ServiceNow instance to external recipients. These are typically triggered by Email Notifications, which are configured to fire based on specific events such as record creation, updates, or condition-based triggers. Outbound emails use SMTP protocols to send messages through a configured mail server. Administrators can define recipient rules (users, groups, or specific email addresses), customize email templates with dynamic content using mail scripts, and include relevant record data. Outbound emails are commonly used to notify users about incident updates, approval requests, task assignments, and SLA breaches.

**Key Components:**
- **Email Accounts**: Configure inbound/outbound mail server settings
- **Notification Rules**: Define when and to whom outbound emails are sent
- **Inbound Actions**: Process and act upon received emails
- **Email Logs**: Track sent and received emails for troubleshooting

Together, inbound and outbound email capabilities streamline workflows, enhance communication, and support automation within ServiceNow applications.

Homepages and Reports are essential features in ServiceNow that provide users with powerful data visualization and dashboard capabilities, critical topics for the Certified Application Developer exam.

**Homepages:**
Homepages serve as customizable dashboards in ServiceNow, offering users a consolidated view of relevant information. They consist of multiple sections containing widgets, gauges, reports, and other visual components arranged in a layout. Administrators and developers can create homepages tailored to specific roles or user groups, ensuring each user sees the most pertinent data upon login. Homepages support drag-and-drop functionality for arranging content, and users can personalize their views by adding or removing widgets. They act as the landing page experience and can include performance analytics, list reports, and interactive elements that drive productivity.

**Reports:**
Reports in ServiceNow allow users to generate visual representations of data stored in tables. ServiceNow supports various report types including bar charts, pie charts, line graphs, pivot tables, trend reports, heatmaps, and list reports. Reports are built using the Report Designer, where developers define the data source (table), conditions (filters), grouping criteria, and visualization type.

Key features include:
- **Scheduled Reports:** Automate report generation and distribution via email at defined intervals.
- **Interactive Filters:** Allow users to dynamically adjust report parameters.
- **Sharing & Publishing:** Reports can be shared with users, groups, or roles and published to homepages.
- **Report Sources:** Custom report sources can be created to define complex data queries involving joins and computed fields.

**Application Automation Context:**
In application development, reports and homepages enhance user experience by presenting actionable insights. Developers can embed reports into service portals, create custom widgets, and leverage Performance Analytics for advanced KPI tracking. Understanding Access Control Lists (ACLs) for reports ensures proper data security.

For the certification exam, developers should understand how to create, configure, and manage both homepages and reports, including permissions, scheduling, and integration within custom applications to deliver meaningful, role-based data presentations.

Script Debugging in ServiceNow is an essential skill for Certified Application Developers, involving two primary tools: the Script Tracer and the Script Debugger. These tools help developers identify and resolve issues in server-side and client-side scripts efficiently.

**Script Tracer:**
The Script Tracer is a diagnostic tool that allows developers to trace the execution of scripts in real time. It captures detailed information about script execution, including Business Rules, Script Includes, UI Actions, and other server-side scripts. Developers can enable the Script Tracer from the System Diagnostics module. It provides a chronological log of all scripts that fire during a transaction, showing execution order, duration, and the context in which they run. This is particularly useful for identifying performance bottlenecks, unexpected script behavior, and conflicts between multiple scripts. The Script Tracer supports filtering options, enabling developers to narrow down results by script type, table, or specific operations.

**Script Debugger:**
The Script Debugger is a more interactive tool that enables step-by-step execution of server-side JavaScript. Developers can set breakpoints in Business Rules, Script Includes, and other server-side scripts. When a breakpoint is hit, execution pauses, allowing developers to inspect variable values, evaluate expressions, and step through code line by line using step-into, step-over, and step-out controls. This granular control helps pinpoint exact locations where logic errors occur. The Script Debugger is session-specific, meaning it only affects the developer's session without impacting other users.

**Best Practices:**
- Use the Script Tracer first to identify which scripts are executing and narrow down the problematic area.
- Use the Script Debugger for deeper investigation of specific scripts.
- Always disable debugging tools after use to avoid performance impacts.
- Avoid using these tools in production environments unless absolutely necessary.

Together, these tools form a powerful debugging framework that accelerates troubleshooting and ensures application reliability in ServiceNow development and automation workflows.