ASK Toolkit is an extension for Visual Studio Code (VSC) that that makes it easier for developers to develop and deploy Alexa Skills.
Alexa Skills Toolkit for Visual Studio Code is an extension that makes it easier for you to create, test, and deploy Alexa skills. It provides a dedicated workspace for Alexa Skills in VS Code and provides features for managing and previewing APL documents along with the ability to test and debug your skills in VS Code with local debugging.
See the getting started documentation
git
to have a seamless experience.v2.5.0
and above) works with Visual Studio Code IDE (version 1.53.0 or higher), please make sure you have the latest version installed.Note :
ASK CLI
is no longer a requirement for the extension and the commands are no longer available in the VSCode Command Palette. Please install and use theASK CLI
directly.
Set up skill project
Build or Download Interaction Model
Skill Package
folder of your skill project.Note: Currently, only saved and built interaction models can be downloaded from developer console.
Build or Download Skill Manifest
Skill Package
folder of your skill project.Create, Download & Preview APL Documents
Skill Package
, using Preview option under Skills pane -> YourAwesomeSkill -> Alexa Presentation Language (APL).Test & Debug Skills Locally
launch.json
debug configuration file, install dependencies (ask-sdk-local-debug
) and start a local debug session. More information can be found on the getting started documentation
Note: If you are using any existing profiles, we recommend you to recreate them again from the Skill Management tab -> hamburger (
...
) menu -> Profile Manager view, so that the profile will contain all LWA scopes needed for local debugging.
master
branch. You can use VS Code built-in Git support or any Git client.Note: Alexa Skills Toolkit does not support deployment of the skill code for a self-hosted skill, but you can set up your own skill service endpoint in the
skill.json
file. The endpoint will receive POST requests when a user interacts with your Alexa Skills. SeeFAQs
for more information.
Documentation
Profile Manager
...
) of Skill Management pane.ASK Profile
status bar item.and many more ...
How do I setup and configure Alexa Skills Kit Toolkit extension when doing Visual Studio Code Remote Development using SSH?
Note: Install Remote - SSH extension on Visual Studio Code, then connect to remote machine over SSH.
What if I failed to sign in Amazon account over SSH remote development?
Why do I get a prompt for Git credentials when an Alexa hosted skill is created or downloaded?
git version
. If it is versions 2.25.x or 2.26.x, you need to update to Git >= 2.27.x. This should prevent being asked for Git credentials again.How do I set up my own skill service endpoint for a self-hosted skill?
apis
filed in the skill.json
. The endpoint will receive POST requests when a user interacts with your Alexa Skills. The JSON snippet below shows how to set up your Lambda endpoint. The code below will set up your endpoint in the Default Region
."apis": {
"custom": {
"endpoint": {
"uri": "arn:aws:lambda:us-west-2:123456789012:function:my-function"
}
}
}
NA
, EU
, FE
). See the best practices in choosing Lambda regions for the AWS region codes and corresponding optimal ASK region codes. Using the corresponding optimal codes is recommended and can reduce the overall latency of your skill.
The JSON snippet below shows how to specify other regions. In this example, the AWS region code is (us-east-1) and the optimal ASK region code is (NA)."apis": {
"custom": {
"endpoint": {
"uri": "arn:aws:lambda:us-west-2:123456789012:function:my-function"
}
"regions": {
"NA": {
"endpoint": {
"uri":"arn:aws:lambda:us-east-1:123456789012:function:my-function"
}
},
}
}
}
Why cannot I use the toolkit for deploying ACDL files?
v2.4.0
and above) provides syntax highlighting support for Alexa Conversations Descriptive Language (ACDL)
files. ACDL is a beta feature and is currently under developer preview.ASK CLI
tool, to manage your ACDL skills. Please follow this documentation for more details.How can I test APL user events and audio output in simulator?
Note: The APL user events and audio output are available only in MacOS and Windows.
How can I deregister my virtual device?
The latest version seems to be not installable on my vscode. What is the minimum compatible vscode version for the toolkit?
v2.5.0
and above) works with Visual Studio Code IDE (version 1.53.0 or higher), please make sure you have the latest version installed.Why am I getting the error '[token] is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file' when trying to start the local debugger?
"console": "integratedTerminal"
to the debug configuration in your launch.json
file, like the following:"version": "0.2.0",
"configurations": [
{
"name": "Debug Alexa Skill (Node.js)",
"type": "node",
"request": "launch",
"program": "${command:ask.debugAdapterPath}",
"args": [
"--accessToken",
"${command:ask.accessToken}",
"--skillId",
"${command:ask.skillIdFromWorkspace}",
"--handlerName",
"handler",
"--skillEntryFile",
"${workspaceFolder}/lambda/index.js",
"--region",
"FE"
],
"console": "integratedTerminal" //Add this
},
We would like to hear about your bugs, feature requests, questions or quick feedback.
The Alexa Skill Toolkit for VSCode extension is distributed under the Apache License, Version 2.0. Any marks/logos displayed as part of the extension GUI are not licensed under an open source license, but instead subject to Amazon’s Trademark Guidelines, available here.
The Alexa Skill Toolkit for VSCode extension collects usage data and sends it to Amazon to help improve our products and services. This extension respects the Ask: Telemetry Enabled
/ ask.telemetryEnabled
setting under the extension settings.