Using Alexa skill with custom endpoint
Hello!
We are implementing Alexa skill with custom endpoint, we created a custom DiscoverDevices intent, and we send the following json for a request, everything seems to be according to the specification, however, Alexa still not able to find/see any devices.
JSON:
Does anyone know how to use the Smart Home model without Lambdas or if that model cannot be used without Lambda then maybe there is another way to do it, but without using the Lambdas?
Thank you.
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Hi,
Thanks for your patience as I worked with the Alexa team regarding your query. In regards to your question:
Does anyone know how to use the Smart Home model without Lambdas or if that model cannot be used without Lambda then maybe there is another way to do it, but without using the Lambdas?
This is the response of our Alexa team:
The Alexa Smart Home skill model is designed to work with Lambda functions as the backend for processing user requests and controlling smart home devices. It leverages the Alexa Smart Home Skill API, which is specifically built to integrate with Lambda functions.
While Lambda is the recommended and widely used approach for implementing the backend of an Alexa Smart Home skill, it's technically possible to use alternative methods. If you want to explore alternatives to Lambda for implementing a smart home skill, you would need to build a custom backend solution that can handle the requests and responses between Alexa and your smart home devices. This could involve setting up your own server infrastructure, managing the scaling and availability of your backend, and implementing the necessary logic to handle different types of requests and device control.
Using an alternative approach would likely involve more complexity, maintenance, and potential limitations compared to using Lambda. Lambda provides a serverless environment that abstracts away the infrastructure management and scales automatically based on demand, making it a convenient and efficient choice for hosting Alexa skills.
In summary, while it's technically possible to explore alternatives to Lambda for implementing a smart home skill, it's important to consider the added complexity and effort involved. Lambda is the recommended and well-supported option for integrating Alexa with smart home devices.
Documentation for building Alexa Smart Home skills: https://developer.amazon.com/en-US/docs/alexa/smarthome/steps-to-build-a-smart-home-skill.html
Please do let us know if you may have any other queries. We will be happy to help you.
Hello Ryan,
We did use that documentation for building Alexa Smart Home skills in our project, however, it's still not working, we cannot see any devices. My suspicion is that something is not configured or missed out. Could you check our Alexa Console to help us pinpoint what we are missing?
Thank you.
Hello there,
For your requirement, you might be better served building a custom skill and using a custom endpoint that can accept requests from the Alexa service and send back responses. You can build your web service/custom endpoint using any programming language, as long as the service meets the requirements contained here [https://developer.amazon.com/en-US/docs/alexa/custom-skills/host-a-custom-skill-as-a-web-service.html]. For more information on custom skills, please see this document [https://developer.amazon.com/en-US/docs/alexa/custom-skills/understanding-custom-skills.html].