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https://github.com/voutilad/alexa-btvpython

Example project for creating an Alexa skill
https://github.com/voutilad/alexa-btvpython

alexa flask heroku lambda python

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Example project for creating an Alexa skill

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README 

        
# BTVPython Alexa Skill



[![Build Status](https://travis-ci.org/voutilad/alexa-btvpython.svg?branch=master)](https://travis-ci.org/voutilad/alexa-btvpython)



This is a sample project for presenting a "How To" related to developing custom

[Amazon Alexa Skills](https://developer.amazon.com/alexa-skills-kit) using Python

and [Amazon Lambda](https://aws.amazon.com/lambda/).



## Background Story



Let's say you want to build an Alexa skill that does something interesting like help you

get the details on the next, upcoming

[Burlington Python Meetup](https://www.meetup.com/btvpython/) event. Where do you begin?



## Assumptions



Let's assume that:

* you at least know some basic Python

* you have or are willing to have an Amazon account (your shopping account will do)



Then you should be ready to dive in!



# Navigating this Project



Here's the lay of the land...



## Project Overview



In general, I've built this project to use common Python conventions, specifically:



* Project layout of our code being in a package ([btvpython](./btvpython)) and tests in a separate

package ([tests](./tests))

* Using [pytest](http://doc.pytest.org) for a test framework

* Storing config/credentials in [in the environment](https://12factor.net/config) leveraging

[python-dotenv](https://github.com/theskumar/python-dotenv)

    * We'll use this approach for storing the [Meetup API Key](https://secure.meetup.com/meetup_api/key/)

    * This also let's us set other values that you'll see later.



If you're not familiar with the above, I recommend following the links to learn a bit more.



What won't we be covering at this point? A few little things for now:

* Using OAuth(1/2) for more [account linking](https://developer.amazon.com/public/solutions/alexa/alexa-skills-kit/docs/linking-an-alexa-user-with-a-user-in-your-system)

to Meetup.

    * _See my [other project](https://github.com/voutilad/dear-leader) for an example using Twitter_

* More complex AWS/Lambda stuff like CloudWatch

* Deeper Alexa topics like slots, securing your skill (like using the app id)



## Git

The project uses git _tags_ as a way to mark different walk-through states.



By default, when you clone this project, you'll be at the latest state.



To jump between tags, use the `git checkout ` command.



I've organized this into "chapters", so each tag name follows the convention: `ch[0-9]`



Chapter 0 would be `ch0`, Chapter 4 would be `ch4`, etc.



# Before you Begin



Create a local `.env` file that contains two things:

* A randomly generated Flask secret key

* A copy of your [Meetup API Key](https://secure.meetup.com/meetup_api/key/)



It should look like:

```bash

MEETUP_API_KEY="yourApiKey"

FLASK_SECRET_KEY="yourFlaskSecretKey"



```



# Working Through the Chapters!



Each chapter is designed to show a working "solution" for our use case, just in increasing

complexity and functionality. As we step through, the changes we make will highlight specific

lessons related to Lambda and Alexa.



## Chapter 0 - Hello World!



The basics of a lambda function. Here we'll have enough to test a lambda function, but this

won't give us what we need for Alexa yet.



## Chapter 1 - A Simple Lambda Solution



Let's start simple: a single Lambda function that handles our core need of fetching the details

from the [Meetup API](https://www.meetup.com/meetup_api/docs/).



## Chapter 2 - Lambda using Packages



Lambda's nice and all, but up until now we've put all our code in one Python module that only

has access to the Python 2.7 standard library. Let's bring in the popular

[requests](http://docs.python-requests.org/en/master/#) library and figure out how we

package our project for use in Lambda.



## Chapter 3 - A Voice User Interface



Our skill is a little weak. Sure it gets the very next event, but you can't ask any follow-up

questions or anything else.



Let's add in another intent and change the default behavior allowing us to do more. We'll keep it simple,

so for now let's say we want two interaction types:



* general launch via _"open burlington python"_ followed by a prompt

* direct intent launch via _"ask burlington python for the next event"_



## Chapter 4 - A Flask Full of Fun



Outgrow Lambda? Want to do things like data persistence and not stay in the AWS

world? Let's move our logic into a more elgant Flask-based app using [Flask-Ask](https://github.com/johnwheeler/flask-ask)

and get it ready for deployment to Heroku!



For [Heroku](https://www.heroku.com), you'll need an account. The included [Procfile](./Procfile) and

[runtime.txt](./runtime.txt) are already provided, but you'll need to [create a new app](https://dashboard.heroku.com/new?org=personal-apps).



### Scratchpad



URI for BTVPython endpoint: `https://api.meetup.com/btvpython/events?&sign=true&photo-host=public&page=1`