Question 1

How do I add custom slots in Alexia?

Accepted Answer

Define custom slots using app.customSlot() with a name and sample values, then reference them in intent utterances with {slotName:SlotType}. For example, app.customSlot('Name', ['Arnold', 'Otto']) and use {name:Name} in an utterance string.

Question 2

Can I use Alexia with Google Assistant?

Accepted Answer

No, Alexia is specifically designed for Amazon Alexa and does not support Google Assistant or other voice platforms. For multi-platform development, you would need to use separate SDKs or a more general framework.

Question 3

What's the best way to test my Alexia skill locally?

Accepted Answer

Use Alexia's testing utilities like alexia.createRequest() to mock Alexa requests in unit tests. This allows you to simulate intents and validate responses without deploying to a live environment, as shown in the 'Unit Testing' section.

Question 4

How to deploy an Alexia app to AWS Lambda?

Accepted Answer

Export a handler function in your index.js that calls app.handle() with the event and a callback. Then, upload the zipped project to AWS Lambda and set the handler to index.handler, following the example in the 'AWS Lambda' deployment section.

Question 5

Alexia vs Voiceflow: which is better for rapid prototyping?

Accepted Answer

Alexia is a code-based framework ideal for developers who want full control over logic and Node.js integration. Voiceflow is a no-code visual tool better for non-developers or quick prototypes without coding, but it offers less customization.

Question 6

Does Alexia support SSML for speech responses?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Alexia supports SSML by setting the ssml parameter to true in the response object and including SSML tags in the text property. This is detailed in the 'SSML' section with an example using <say-as> tags.

Question 7

How to handle session attributes in Alexia?

Accepted Answer

Manage session attributes by returning an attrs object in the response from an intent handler, and use the slots and attrs parameters in callbacks. The 'Session Attributes' section shows how to persist data across sessions with end: false to keep the session open.

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