alexpress

express-js line API for Amazon alexa custom skills.

The Alexa Skills Kit enables you to give Alexa new abilities by building a cloud-based service. This service can be either a web service or an AWS Lambda function.

Installation

Install with npm

npm install alexa-express

Examples

Create app

app = new require("alexa-express")()

Handle LaunchRequest

app.use "/launch", ( req, res, next ) ->
  res.tell "Welcome!"

Built-in Intents

# AMAZON.HelpIntent
app.use "/intent/amazon/help", ( req, res, next ) ->
  res.ask "How can I help you today?"

Custom Intents

# StartGameIntent
app.use "/intent/startGame", ( req, res, next ) ->
  res.ask "What do you want to play?"

API

alexpress()

Creates an alexpress application.

alexpress = require 'alexpress'
app = alexpress()

Application

Created by calling alexpress().

Methods

app.get

Returns the value of name app setting. For example:

app.get 'foo'
# => undefined

app.set 'foo', 'bar'
app.get 'foo'
# => 'bar'

app.handler

app.set(name, value)

Sets setting name to value. See app settings.

Application Settings

| Property | Type | Description | Default | | -------- | :----: | ---------------------------------------- | --------------------------- | | speech | String | Directory for the application's speech templates. | process.cwd() + '/speech' | | format | String | Default format to use for outputSpeech and reprompt. Acceptable values are: SSML, PlainText. | PlainText |

app.use(path, function [, function...])

Mounts the specified middleware function or functions at the specified path. If path is not specified, it defaults to '/'.

A route will match any path that follows its path immediately with a “/”. For example: app.use('/apple', ...) will match “/apple”, “/apple/images”, “/apple/images/news”, and so on.

app.use '/launch', (req, res, next) ->
	console.log "#{req.sessionId}"	
    #  'amzn1.echo-api.session.0000000-0000-0000-0000-00000000000'
    console.log "#{req.applicationId}"	
    # 'amzn1.echo-sdk-ams.app.000000-d0ed-0000-ad00-000000d00ebe'
    console.log "#{req.userId}"
    # 'amzn1.account.AM3B00000000000000000000000'
    next()

Since path defaults to “/”, middleware mounted without a path will be executed for every request to the app.

# this will be executed for every request
app.use (req, res, next) ->
  console.log "#{Date.now()}"
  next()

Middleware functions are executed sequentially, therefore the order of inclusion is important.

# this middleware will not allow the request to go beyond it
app.use (req, res, next) ->
  res.tell 'Hello World'
  
# requests will never reach this route
app.get '/', (req, res) ->
  res.tell 'Welcome'

function can be a middleware function, a series of middleware functions, an array of middleware functions, or a combination of all of them.

Request

The req object represents the Alexa skill JSON request and has properties for the intent name, slots and other parameters.

Properties

request.new {Boolean}

A boolean value indicating whether this is a new session (from the JSON request sent by Alexa). Returns true for a new session or false for an existing session.

request.sessionId {String}

A string that represents a unique identifier per a user’s active session.

A sessionId is consistent for multiple subsequent requests for a user and session. If the session ends for a user, then a new unique sessionId value is provided for subsequent requests for the same user.

request.applicationId {String}

This is used to verify that the request was intended for your service.

request.userId {String}

A string that represents a unique identifier for the user who made the request. The length of this identifier can vary, but is never more than 255 characters. The userId is automatically generated when a user enables the skill in the Alexa app.

Note that disabling and re-enabling a skill generates a new identifier.

request.userAccessToken {String|optional}

A token identifying the user in another system. This is only provided if the user has successfully linked their account.

request.version {String}

The version specifier for the request with the value defined as: “1.0”

request.type {String}

The type of request. Possible values include: LaunchRequest, IntentRequest and SessionEndedRequest.

request.timestamp {String | ISO 8601}

Provides the date and time when Alexa sent the request. Use this to verify that the request is current and not part of a “replay” attack.

request.requestId {String}

Represents a unique identifier for the specific request.

request.reason {String}

Describes why the session ended. Available only for SessionEndedRequest. Possible values:

• USER_INITIATED: The user explicitly ended the session.
• ERROR: An error occurred that caused the session to end.
• EXCEEDED_MAX_REPROMPTS: The user either did not respond or responded with an utterance that did not match any of the intents defined in your voice interface.

Methods

request.session(name)

Returns the value of the session attribute with the key name.

The attributes map is empty for requests where a new session has started with the attribute new set to true.

request.slot(name)

Returns the value of name from request's slots.

Slots are map of key-value pairs that further describes what the user meant based on a predefined intent schema. Populated only for IntentRequest type.

response

response.version

response.keepAlive

response.session

response.ssml

response.text

response.reprompt

response.ask

response.tell

response.send

response.render