In this Advocate-only special, Lauren is joined by fellow team members, Earl Duque and Laszlo Balla, to dive deep into the big, upcoming month-long event: HACKTOBERFEST! From the history of ServiceNow's involvement to what participants can expect this year, they covered everything in detail in hopes that you will take to your keyboard and join in on the fun.

⏱️ Timestamps 
00:00 Introduction
00:59 What is Hacktoberfest?
03:06 What is the advantage of developing open source applications?
06:12 What is ServiceNow's history with Hacktoberfest?
09:52 What can Hacktoberfest participants expect?
14:07 What should Hacktoberfest participants learn beforehand?
17:52 What projects can participants collaborate on this year?
23:59 Can someone start participating after October 1st?
25:33 What dictates "completing" Hacktoberfest?
27:28 What are the rewards for completing Hacktoberfest 2025? 
29:36 What are common mistakes for beginners to avoid?
35:48 What are 3 steps to take prior to starting Hacktoberfest?
36:56 How can participants stay connected with one another?
38:22 Conclusion

🔗 Links 
ServiceNow Hacktoberfest 2025 Blog
ServiceNow Hacktoberfest 2024 Retrospective Blog
Digital Ocean Hacktoberfest Home
The ServiceNow World Forums
The ServiceNow Developer Site
The Developer Advocate Blog

In this Advocate-only special, Lauren is joined by fellow team members, Earl Duque and Laszlo Balla, to dive deep into the big, upcoming month-long event: HACKTOBERFEST! From the history of ServiceNow's involvement to what participants can expect this year, they covered everything in detail in hopes that you will take to your keyboard and join in on the fun.
⏱️ Timestamps&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>00:00 Introduction</li>
<li>00:59 What is Hacktoberfest?</li>
<li>03:06 What is the advantage of developing open source applications?</li>
<li>06:12 What is ServiceNow's history with Hacktoberfest?</li>
<li>09:52 What can Hacktoberfest participants expect?</li>
<li>14:07 What should Hacktoberfest participants learn beforehand?</li>
<li>17:52 What projects can participants collaborate on this year?</li>
<li>23:59 Can someone start participating after October 1st?</li>
<li>25:33 What dictates "completing" Hacktoberfest?</li>
<li>27:28 What are the rewards for completing Hacktoberfest 2025?&nbsp;</li>
<li>29:36 What are common mistakes for beginners to avoid?</li>
<li>35:48 What are 3 steps to take prior to starting Hacktoberfest?</li>
<li>36:56 How can participants stay connected with one another?</li>
<li>38:22 Conclusion</li>
</ul>
🔗 Links 
<ul>
<li><a href="devlink.sn/hacktoberfest">ServiceNow Hacktoberfest 2025 Blog</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.servicenow.com/community/developer-advocate-blog/hacktoberfest-2024-review/ba-p/3099284">ServiceNow Hacktoberfest 2024 Retrospective Blog</a></li>
<li><a href="https://hacktoberfest.com/">Digital Ocean Hacktoberfest Home</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.servicenow.com/events/world-forum.html">The ServiceNow World Forums</a></li>
<li><a href="https://developer.servicenow.com/dev.do">The ServiceNow Developer Site</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.servicenow.com/community/developer-advocate-blog/bg-p/developer-advocate-blog">The Developer Advocate Blog</a></li>
</ul>

Break Point is the podcast for ServiceNow admins, developers, and builders of all skill levels. Join your host, Sr. Developer Advocate Lauren McManamon. She talks to ServiceNow product managers and developers about the Now Platform features, customers to discuss apps they've built, interesting people in the ServiceNow ecosystem, and others about career tips to take your developer career higher. Take a break with Break Point.

Break Point is the podcast for ServiceNow admins, developers, and builders of all skill levels. Join your host, Sr. Developer Advocate Lauren McManamon. She talks to ServiceNow product managers and developers about the Now Platform features, customers to discuss apps they've built, interesting people in the ServiceNow ecosystem, and others about career tips to take your developer career higher. Take a break with Break Point.

Break Point

ServiceNow Podcast Program is a collection of podcast shows hosted by various ServiceNow experts and professionals covering different focus areas and a broad variety of topics. Come listen to our experts talk about what's going on at ServiceNow. Join the conversation!

Visit the Now Community forums

ServiceNow Podcast Program is a collection of podcast shows hosted by various ServiceNow experts and professionals covering different focus areas and a broad variety of topics. Come listen to our experts talk about what's going on at ServiceNow. Join the conversation!
<a href="https://community.servicenow.com/community">Visit the Now Community forums</a>

ServiceNow Podcasts

Your Guide to Hacktoberfest 2025

In this Community Week special, host Lauren McManamon is joined by fellow advocate Kristy Merriam and guest Dharti Shah, a Certified Technical Architect, to discuss the intersection of career, community, and parenting. From Dharti’s journey through the CTA program to the shared experiences she and Kristy have as mothers of children on the autism spectrum, the conversation explores how personal challenges shape professional growth, how ServiceNow skills translate into life lessons, and the importance of support systems, both at home and in the developer community. 

⏱️ Timestamps 
00:00 Introduction of Hosts
01:43 Introduction of Guest, Dharti Shah
05:29 Discussing the ServiceNow Certified Technical Architect (CTA) Program
09:27 Balancing Work, Parenting, and Going Above and Beyond
18:16 New Perspectives Offered By Parenting
19:31 The Importance of "The Village" We Surround Ourselves With
21:30 Misconceptions About Being Working Parents
26:16 Advice For Women In Tech
31:28 Tech Trends Impacting Work Life, Home Life, and the Neurodivergent Community
37:51 Final Words of Wisdom
39:43 Conclusion 

🔗 Links 
The Certified Technical Architect Application 
The ServiceNow World Forums
The ServiceNow Developer Site
The Developer Advocate Blog

In this Community Week special, host Lauren McManamon is joined by fellow advocate Kristy Merriam and guest Dharti Shah, a Certified Technical Architect, to discuss the intersection of career, community, and parenting. From Dharti&rsquo;s journey through the CTA program to the shared experiences she and Kristy have as mothers of children on the autism spectrum, the conversation explores how personal challenges shape professional growth, how ServiceNow skills translate into life lessons, and the importance of support systems, both at home and in the developer community.&nbsp;
⏱️ Timestamps 
<ul>
<li>00:00 Introduction of Hosts</li>
<li>01:43 Introduction of Guest, Dharti Shah</li>
<li>05:29 Discussing the ServiceNow Certified Technical Architect (CTA) Program</li>
<li>09:27 Balancing Work, Parenting, and Going Above and Beyond</li>
<li>18:16 New Perspectives Offered By Parenting</li>
<li>19:31 The Importance of "The Village" We Surround Ourselves With</li>
<li>21:30 Misconceptions About Being Working Parents</li>
<li>26:16 Advice For Women In Tech</li>
<li>31:28 Tech Trends Impacting Work Life, Home Life, and the Neurodivergent Community</li>
<li>37:51 Final Words of Wisdom</li>
<li>39:43 Conclusion&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
🔗 Links 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://learning.servicenow.com/expertprograms/en/pages/expert-program?id=snpx_home&amp;type=CTA">The Certified Technical Architect Application</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li><a href="https://www.servicenow.com/events/world-forum.html">The ServiceNow World Forums</a></li>
<li><a href="https://developer.servicenow.com/dev.do">The ServiceNow Developer Site</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.servicenow.com/community/developer-advocate-blog/bg-p/developer-advocate-blog">The Developer Advocate Blog</a></li>
</ul>

A Career Conversation with Dharti Shah

This episode's co-host, Laszlo Balla, and Lauren McManamon sat down with Thomas Richter and Luis Caroll to unpack RaptorDB: the new database technology powering ServiceNow’s future. They shared the story from startup roots to acquisition, and explained how Raptor DB delivers faster performance, real-time analytics, and AI-ready scale, all while staying seamless for developers and customers.

⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 Introduction of Hosts
02:37 Introduction of Guests: Thomas Richter & Luis Carril
07:14 What IS RaptorDB? 10:14 How Is RaptorDB Different?
21:09 Has AI Changed Prioritization of RaptorDB’s Needs?
23:21 Origin of the Name “RaptorDB”
27:18 How Do I Get Access as a Customer?
29:35 Why Choose Pro Over Standard?
30:43 How Can I Tell If My Instance Is Running RaptorDB Already?
44:53 Recommended Education
46:22 What’s Next for RaptorDB *SAFE HARBOR*
50:16 Conclusion

🔗 Links
RaptorDB Product Hub 
RaptorDB Zurich Docs 
The ServiceNow World Forums 
The ServiceNow Developer Site 
The Developer Advocate Blog 

This episode's co-host, Laszlo Balla, and Lauren McManamon sat down with Thomas Richter and Luis Caroll to unpack RaptorDB: the new database technology powering ServiceNow&rsquo;s future. They shared the story from startup roots to acquisition, and explained how Raptor DB delivers faster performance, real-time analytics, and AI-ready scale, all while staying seamless for developers and customers.
⏱️ Timestamps
<ul>
<li>00:00 Introduction of Hosts</li>
<li>02:37 Introduction of Guests: Thomas Richter &amp; Luis Carril</li>
<li>07:14 What IS RaptorDB? 10:14 How Is RaptorDB Different?</li>
<li>21:09 Has AI Changed Prioritization of RaptorDB&rsquo;s Needs?</li>
<li>23:21 Origin of the Name &ldquo;RaptorDB&rdquo;</li>
<li>27:18 How Do I Get Access as a Customer?</li>
<li>29:35 Why Choose Pro Over Standard?</li>
<li>30:43 How Can I Tell If My Instance Is Running RaptorDB Already?</li>
<li>44:53 Recommended Education</li>
<li>46:22 What&rsquo;s Next for RaptorDB *SAFE HARBOR*</li>
<li>50:16 Conclusion</li>
</ul>
🔗&nbsp;Links
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.servicenow.com/products/raptordb.html">RaptorDB Product Hub</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li><a href="https://www.servicenow.com/docs/bundle/zurich-servicenow-platform/page/administer/general/concept/raptordb.html">RaptorDB Zurich Docs</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li><a href="https://www.servicenow.com/events/world-forum.html">The ServiceNow World Forums&nbsp;</a></li>
<li><a href="https://developer.servicenow.com/dev.do">The ServiceNow Developer Site</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li><a href="https://www.servicenow.com/community/developer-advocate-blog/bg-p/developer-advocate-blog">The Developer Advocate Blog&nbsp;</a></li>
</ul>

RaptorDB in Full Flight with Luis Carril and Thomas Richter

On September 30th, ServiceNow's AI Experience launched, and with it came one of the most transformative new features: Web Agents! On this week's episode of Break Point, Lauren McManamon was joined by returning guest, Jingfei Chen, to unveil how Web Agents automate tasks by navigating browser UIs like a human. Learn how this catch-all agent works, where it fits alongside APIs and RPA, and why it’s set to change how developers approach automation.

⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 Introduction
02:37 What ARE ServiceNow Web Agents?
07:09 So, Web Agents Are Not ONLY Accessible Through Chat?
09:41 How Are Web Agents Similar/Different From RPA?
12:25 What Are Some Cornerstone Use Cases for Web Agents?
17:19 What Are the V1 Capabilities / Limitations of Web Agents?
18:47 What Are Web Agent Best Practices? 22:18 Where Can People Try Out Web Agents?
23:55 What’s On the Roadmap for Web Agents? *SAFE HARBOR*
27:01 How Have Priorities Changed to Meet Market Expectations?
29:50 What Are Initial Customer Thoughts on Web Agents?
31:11 Where Can People Provide Feedback on Web Agents?
32:02 Call to Action
33:57 Conclusion

🔗 Links
Jingfei Chen's LinkedIn
AI Experience Release Event
Get to Know Now Assist AI Web Agent
The ServiceNow World Forums
The ServiceNow Developer Site
The Developer Advocate Blog

On September 30th, ServiceNow's AI Experience launched, and with it came one of the most transformative new features: Web Agents! On this week's episode of Break Point, Lauren McManamon was joined by returning guest, Jingfei Chen, to unveil how Web Agents automate tasks by navigating browser UIs like a human. Learn how this catch-all agent works, where it fits alongside APIs and RPA, and why it&rsquo;s set to change how developers approach automation.
⏱️ Timestamps
<ul>
<li>00:00 Introduction</li>
<li>02:37 What ARE ServiceNow Web Agents?</li>
<li>07:09 So, Web Agents Are Not ONLY Accessible Through Chat?</li>
<li>09:41 How Are Web Agents Similar/Different From RPA?</li>
<li>12:25 What Are Some Cornerstone Use Cases for Web Agents?</li>
<li>17:19 What Are the V1 Capabilities / Limitations of Web Agents?</li>
<li>18:47 What Are Web Agent Best Practices? 22:18 Where Can People Try Out Web Agents?</li>
<li>23:55 What&rsquo;s On the Roadmap for Web Agents? *SAFE HARBOR*</li>
<li>27:01 How Have Priorities Changed to Meet Market Expectations?</li>
<li>29:50 What Are Initial Customer Thoughts on Web Agents?</li>
<li>31:11 Where Can People Provide Feedback on Web Agents?</li>
<li>32:02 Call to Action</li>
<li>33:57 Conclusion</li>
</ul>
🔗&nbsp;Links
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jingfeichen/">Jingfei Chen's LinkedIn</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.servicenow.com/ai.html">AI Experience Release Event</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.servicenow.com/community/now-assist-articles/get-to-know-now-assist-ai-web-agent-watch-the-demos/ta-p/3271534">Get to Know Now Assist AI Web Agent</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.servicenow.com/events/world-forum.html">The ServiceNow World Forums</a></li>
<li><a href="https://developer.servicenow.com/dev.do">The ServiceNow Developer Site</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.servicenow.com/community/developer-advocate-blog/bg-p/developer-advocate-blog">The Developer Advocate Blog</a></li>
</ul>

Your Guide to Hacktoberfest 2025

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