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Release: Australia · Updated: 2026-03-12 · Official documentation · View source

Set or remove breakpoints

Set breakpoints or conditional breakpoints to pause scripts at specific lines, and remove breakpoints when you are done debugging them.

Before you begin

Role required:

  • admin
  • script_debugger

About this task

Breakpoints belong to the developer who sets them. Developers must set and remove their own breakpoints.

Note: At a specific line, you can set either a logpoint or breakpoint but not both.

Procedure

  1. Navigate to the server script to debug.

    For example, navigate to All > System Definition > Business Rules.

  2. From the Syntax Editor, click the gutter next to a script line.

    ActionDescription
    Set a breakpointClick a blank line to set a breakpoint.
    Set a conditional breakpointRight-click a blank line and click Add conditional breakpoint to set a conditional breakpoint.
    Remove a breakpointClick a breakpoint to remove it.
    Remove a conditional breakpointRight-click a conditional breakpoint and select Remove breakpoint to remove it.
  3. From the Syntax Editor toolbar, click the Open Script Debugger icon.

    The system opens a Script Debugger window.

  4. Trigger the script.

    For example, create a record to trigger an insert business rule script.

    The Script Debugger pauses the script on the first line containing a breakpoint, and the system displays a confirmation window.

Image omitted: start-debugging-confirmation.png
ServiceNow script debugger
  1. Click Start Debugging.

    The system switches focus to the Script Debugger window and displays the target script paused at the first breakpoint. Console pane is enabled.

  2. When debugging is complete, remove breakpoints from the script.

Parent Topic:Script Debugger and Session Log

Related topics

Script Debugger step-through and console controls