4 Using entity resolution and built-in intents to extend an Alexa skill
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 advancing and learning how to make more complex skills, let’s revisit how we created our first skill. We went to the Amazon Developer Console; we went to the AWS console; in short, we did a lot of work in the browser. We’re developers, and generally we 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 to the developer console, which opens a more efficient development cycle. In this chapter, we’ll improve upon the sleep tracker skill we started 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.
The Alexa Skills Kit (ASK) CLI is a command-line tool to provide an easier way to manage Alexa skills. Ultimately, it provides a wrapper with which to communicate to the Alexa Skills Management API (SMAPI), which itself can be used to developer skill building and testing automation tools. Using the ASK CLI, a developer can create, deploy, or manage skills without having to go to the browser. The skill submission process can even take place entirely using the CLI.