4 Using entity resolution and built-in intents in Alexa skills

 

This chapter covers

  • Using the Alexa Skills Kit (ASK) CLI
  • Handling synonyms and errors with entity resolution
  • Handling built-in intents and the LaunchRequest
  • Invoking a skill locally

Before we go on to make more complex skills, let’s revisit how we created our first skill. We went to the Amazon Developer Console and we went to the AWS console; in short, we did a lot of work in the browser. Developers generally prefer to avoid going into the browser for configuration unless necessary. Thankfully, the Alexa Skills Kit Command Line Interface (ASK CLI) allows us to develop our skills locally, without heading out to the Developer Console, which permits a more efficient development cycle.

In this chapter, we’ll improve on the Sleep Tracker skill we created in chapter 2 by better handling synonyms and using built-in intents, all while integrating the CLI into our workflow and testing our skill locally.

4.1 Alexa Skills Kit CLI

The Alexa Skills Kit (ASK) CLI is a command-line tool that provides an easier way to manage Alexa skills. Ultimately, it provides a wrapper for the Alexa Skills Management API (SMAPI), which itself can be used to develop skill-building and -testing automation tools. You can see this relationship in figure 4.1. Developers can use the ASK CLI to create, deploy, or manage skills without having to go to the browser. Developers can even submit their skills to the Alexa Skills Store using the CLI.

4.1.1 Creating an Alexa skill project

4.2 Entity resolution

4.2.1 Fulfillment

4.2.2 Built-in intents

4.2.3 LaunchRequest

4.3 Invoking the skill locally

Summary