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Is there a way to use the CLI to configure an Alexa skill?

I understand how to set up and manage the corresponding Lambda code using the CLI, but I see no way to do the same for the Alexa skill (e.g. to set or upload an updated Intent Schema or slots, etc.).

Is there a way to do this or is the Alexa Developer Console the sole method available?

orome
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3 Answers3

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No, unfortunately, there is no way to manage your skill using a CLI or API. You can only do it via the developer console.

You might be interested in this feature request:
API for creating & configuring Alexa skills

(I consider the existence of an API and CLI to be directly related since a CLI interface can be built on an API, and API-like automation can be achieved via a CLI.)

Update:
On 2017-09-05 Amazon announced ASK-CLI and SMAPI.
The docs are here, and it is accessible via the node module 'ask-cli'.

Tom
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  • This answer is not accurate anymore. https://developer.amazon.com/public/solutions/alexa/alexa-skills-kit/docs/quick-start-alexa-skills-kit-command-line-interface – Sébastien Stormacq Sep 15 '17 at 12:28
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Now there is:

Announcing Alexa Skill Management API, Alexa Skills Kit Command-line Interface, and Events in the Alexa Skills Kit

ASK CLI Command Reference

You can use the ask api get-model command to download the model and intents as a JSON file. Then you can edit the file, and use ask api update-model to upload it.

JW.
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  • Do you know if this can be installed via Homebrew? I'd rather not use yet another package manger (Node). – orome Sep 05 '17 at 19:35
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    @raxacoricofallapatorius I don't think so...unfortunately we live in a world of a separate package manager for each language. You can install node/npm via Homebrew, though. – JW. Sep 05 '17 at 19:53
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Thaddeus, one of our architects here at Mutual Mobile, configured our Fastlane CI to automatically copy utterances, slots, and schema files to the Alexa portal as part of a Git commit. It's very ugly to do it that way, and will probably become unnecessary when Amazon releases a REST API to do it. In the meantime though, it works great and really speeds things up, not to mention reducing the chance of typo and omission errors. I'll check with Thaddeus and see if he can post some instructions or example code if others are interested.

Ron Lisle
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