AWS Python Lambda Release Version : 0.3

Super simple Python starter code for developing apps for the Amazon Echo's SDK - ASK: Alexa Skills Kit. Check the scripts in the scripts folder for utility code on how to get started with building the config files used by the ASK.

To use this code for your own skill, simply generate training data, security tokens and an intent schema definition using the scripts in the scripts/ folder (note, there's a README in that folder as well) and edit voice_handlers.py to add handler functions for the intents and requests that your skill supports - this should be enough to get started. This package is designed so that you can treat the code in utils, server.py and dialog.py as a black box as far as your application is concerned and work with a simple annotated-function interface.

ask-alexa-pykit is currently at version 0.3 Latest changes:

• This is the first release supporting AWS Python Lambda. Python Lambda has made it ridiculously simple to set up this code- no more dependencies, no more mucking about with cherrypy servers. Code is now really clean and concise. Just add your function to voice_handlers.py.

• I changed the naming convention of the code library from lib. to alexa.ask. since I'm considering supporting the distribution of the module on PyPI.

• The main changes between v0.2 - v0.3 is the removal of the RequestHandler class, I started finding the design of that class was not very modular and didn't seem to lend itself well to easy use since it would have to be subclassed to add significantly new functionality. Instead I divided up the function of the RequestHandler into 3 simple APIs - the Request, the VoiceHandler function, and the ResponseBuilder.

• The Request object contains information about the Alexa request - such as intent, slots, userId etc.

• A VoiceHandler function (specified with an annotation) takes a request as an input, performs some arbitrary logic on top of it, and returns a Response.

• The ResponseBuilder is an encapsulated way to construct responses for a VoiceHandler. A Response can be constructed by called ResponseBuilder.create_response.

$ git clone https://github.com/anjishnu/ask-alexa-pykit.git

Make sure you're in a python lambda release branch. E.g.

Skip this if you're trying the included basic example. $ python3 generate_intent_schema.py

This script takes you through the process of generating an intent schema for your app- which defines how Alexa's language understanding system interprets results. After the process is complete, it asks you whether you the intent schema moved to the appropriate location.

Skip to 3(b) if simply trying to run example. 3(a): Create a file containing your training examples and upload to Amazon. I've created a script which loads in the intent schema and does some validation and prompting while you type utterances, but I haven't played around with it enough to know if it actually helps.

$ python3 generate_training_data.py

This script prompts you to enter valid training data in the format defined by the ASK (https://developer.amazon.com/public/solutions/alexa/alexa-skills-kit/docs/defining-the-voice-interface). You toggle through the different intents by pressing enter with blank input. Play around with it and see if you find it intuitive.

3(b): Once you are done, this script generates a file called utterance.txt with all your training data in it, ready to be uploaded to your skill: https://developer.amazon.com/edw/home.html#/skills

Skip this if you're just trying to run the included basic example.

Go to voice_handlers.py and add handler functions to the code for your specific request or intent. This is what a handler function for NextRecipeIntent looks like. Note: a handler function will only be activated when the intent schema in the config/ folder is updated to include the intent it is handling.

@VoiceHandler(intent="NextRecipeIntent")
def call_back_intent_handler(request):
  """
  You can insert arbitrary business logic code here
  """
  return r.create_response(message="Getting Next Recipe ...")

Package the code folder for AWS Lambda. Detailed instructions are here: http://docs.aws.amazon.com/lambda/latest/dg/lambda-python-how-to-create-deployment-package.html

For the basic example included in the package simply zip the folder:
$ cd ask-alexa-pytkit
$ zip -r ask-lambda.zip *

• Go to console.aws.amazon.com
• Click on Lambda
• Click on Create Lambda Function
• Skip the Select Blueprint Section
• In the configure step: choose a name e.g. alexa-pykit-demo
• Choose Runtime as Python 2.7
• Code Entry Type - Upload a zip file.
• Upload ask-lambda.zip
• For Role : create a new basic execution role
• Press Next, and then Create Function
• In the event source configuration pick event source type - Alexa Skills Kit.

Add the ARN code for the Lambda Function you've just created as the Lambda ARN (Amazon Resource Name) Endpoint in the Skill Information tab of your skill's information on https://developer.amazon.com/edw/home.html#/skills/list

Note an ARN code is at the top of you Lambda page and starts with something like: arn:aws:lambda:us...

• The master branch is meant to be stable. I usually work on unstable stuff on a personal branch.

• Fork the master branch ( https://github.com/[my-github-username]/ask-alexa-pykit/fork )

• Create your branch (git checkout -b my-branch)

• Commit your changes (git commit -am 'added fixes for something')

• Push to the branch (git push origin my-branch)

• Create a new Pull Request

• And you're done!

• Bug fixes, bug reports and new documentation are all appreciated!

Credits: Anjishnu Kumar 2015