Skill Invocation API v0
The Skill Invocation API invokes the AWS Lambda or third-party HTTPS endpoint for a specified skill. A successful response will contain information related to what endpoint was called, and the payload sent to and received from the endpoint. In cases where a request to this API results in an error, the response will contain a description of the problem. In cases where invoking the skill endpoint specifically fails, the response will contain a status attribute indicating that a failure occurred as well as details about what was sent to the endpoint.
You can use this API to invoke those skills for which you are the developer. The skill being invoked must be enabled on your account and must be in the development
stage. A call to the skill endpoint will time out after 10 seconds.
The Skill Invocation API must be used only for skill testing purposes.
See also: Alexa Skills Kit Command Line Interface (ASK CLI) Overview and Skill Simulation API
Skill Invocation API Request
HTTP method and path
POST v2/skills/{skillId}/stages/{stage}/invocations
Parameters
Field | Description | Parameter Type | Required? |
---|---|---|---|
skillId | Unique identifier of skill. | Path | Yes |
stage | Stage of the skill. Accepted values are development and live (case sensitive). |
Path | Yes |
Request
Request Headers
Content-Type: application/json
Accept: application/json
X-Amzn-RequestId: string
Request Body
{
"endpointRegion": string enum["NA", "EU", "FE", etc],
"skillRequest": {
"body": object
}
}
Request Attributes Definition
Attribute | Description |
---|---|
endpointRegion | Region of endpoint to be called. Values are "NA" or "EU" or "FE". If "Default" is used, the global default endpoint is used. |
skillRequest.body | ASK request body schema as defined at Request Body Syntax |
Skill Invocation API Response
Response Headers
Content-Type: application/json
X-Amzn-RequestId: string
Response Body
200 OK
{
"status": string enum ["SUCCESSFUL", "FAILED"],
"result": {
"skillExecutionInfo": {
"invocationRequest": {
"endpoint": string,
"body": object
},
"invocationResponse": {
"body": object
},
"metrics": {
"skillExecutionTimeInMilliseconds": integer
}
},
"error": {
"message": string
}
}
}
Attribute | Description |
---|---|
status
| String that specifies the status of skill invocation. Either SUCCESSFUL or FAILED .
|
invocationRequest.endpoint
| AWS Lambda or HTTPS endpoint for the skill |
invocationRequest.body
| JSON payload that was sent to the skill's AWS Lambda or HTTPS endpoint |
invocationResponse.body
| Payload that was returned by the skill's AWS Lambda or HTTPS endpoint. |
skillExecutionTimeInMilliseconds
| How long, in milliseconds, it took the skill's AWS Lambda or HTTPS endpoint to process the request. |
Errors
Error Response Body
{
"message": string
}
Attribute | Description |
---|---|
code | Error code that maps to an error message. Developers with different locales should be able to lookup the error description based on this code. |
message | A human-readable description of the error |
Error Codes in Response
Response | Description |
---|---|
400 Bad Request | Invalid or missing data. |
403 Forbidden | API user does not have permission to call this API or is currently in a state that does not allow invocation of this skill. |
404 Not Found | The specified skill was not found. |
Sample Skill Invocation Request
HTTP Method and Path
` POST /v2/skills/amzn1.ask.skill.a378ab7a-4545-407d-9b68-d0d0c6b75468/stages/development/invocations`
Request Headers
Authorization: string (Login with Amazon access token)
Content-Type: application/json
Accept: application/json
Request Body
{
"endpointRegion": "NA",
"skillRequest": {
"body": {
"version": "1.0",
"session": {
"new": true,
"sessionId": "aaf7b112-434c-11e7-2563-6bbd1672c748",
"application": {
"applicationId": "amzn1.ask.skill.12345678-12d1-5b2b-a012-1d1f33311123"
},
"attributes": {},
"user": {
"userId": "amzn1.ask.account.12345ABCDEFGH"
}
},
"context": {
"System": {
"application": {
"applicationId": "amzn1.ask.skill.12345678-12d1-5b2b-a012-1d1f33311123"
},
"user": {
"userId": "amzn1.ask.account.12345ABCDEFGH"
}
}
},
"request": {
"type": "IntentRequest",
"requestId": "c03faf54-684d-11e7-6249-6bbd1825c634",
"timestamp": "2017-08-14T04:20:20Z",
"locale": "en-US",
"intent": {
"name": "SayHello"
}
}
}
}
}
Sample Skill Invocation Response (200 OK) - Successful
This response represents a successful response to an intent request.
Response Headers
HTTP 200 OK
Content-Type: application/json
X-Amzn-RequestId: <value>
Response Body
{
"status": "SUCCESSFUL",
"result": {
"skillExecutionInfo": {
"invocationRequest": {
"endpoint": "arn:aws:lambda:us-east-1:123456789:function:HelloWorld",
"body": {
"version": "1.0",
"session": {
"new": true,
"sessionId": "aaf7b112-434c-11e7-2563-6bbd1672c748",
"application": {
"applicationId": "amzn1.ask.skill.12345678-12d1-5b2b-a012-1d1f33311123"
},
"attributes": {},
"user": {
"userId": "amzn1.ask.account.12345ABCDEFGH"
}
},
"context": {
"System": {
"application": {
"applicationId": "amzn1.ask.skill.12345678-12d1-5b2b-a012-1d1f33311123"
},
"user": {
"userId": "amzn1.ask.account.12345ABCDEFGH"
}
}
},
"request": {
"type": "IntentRequest",
"requestId": "c03faf54-684d-11e7-6249-6bbd1825c634",
"timestamp": "2017-08-14T04:20:20Z",
"locale": "en-US",
"intent": {
"name": "SayHello"
}
}
}
},
"invocationResponse": {
"body": {
"version": "1.0",
"sessionAttributes": {},
"response": {
"outputSpeech": {
"type": "PlainText",
"text": "hello, world"
},
"shouldEndSession": true
}
}
},
"metrics": {
"skillExecutionTimeInMilliseconds": 100
}
},
"error": null
}
}
Sample Skill Invocation Response (200 OK) - Failed
This response represents a case where the HTTP code is 200 OK, but the contents of the response represent a failure, due to the skill's endpoint timing out, and exceeding the 10 seconds limit.
HTTP 200 OK
Content-Type: application/json
X-Amzn-RequestId: <value>
{
"status": "FAILED",
"result": {
"skillExecutionInfo": {
"invocationRequest": {
"endpoint": "arn:aws:lambda:us-east-1:123456789:function:HelloWorld",
"body": {
"version": "1.0",
"session": {
"new": true,
"sessionId": "aaf7b112-434c-11e7-2563-6bbd1672c748",
"application": {
"applicationId": "amzn1.ask.skill.12345678-12d1-5b2b-a012-1d1f33311123"
},
"attributes": {},
"user": {
"userId": "amzn1.ask.account.12345ABCDEFGH"
}
},
"context": {
"System": {
"application": {
"applicationId": "amzn1.ask.skill.12345678-12d1-5b2b-a012-1d1f33311123"
},
"user": {
"userId": "amzn1.ask.account.12345ABCDEFGH"
}
}
},
"request": {
"type": "IntentRequest",
"requestId": "c03faf54-684d-11e7-6249-6bbd1825c634",
"timestamp": "2017-08-14T04:20:20Z",
"locale": "en-US",
"intent": {
"name": "SayHello"
}
}
}
},
"invocationResponse": null,
"metrics": null
},
"error": {
"message": "Request to skill endpoint timed out."
}
}
}
Sample Skill Invocation Response (400 Bad Request)
This response occurs when no endpoint was found for the specified region.
Response Headers
HTTP 400 Bad Request
Content-Type: application/json
X-Amzn-RequestId: <value>
Response Body
{
"message": "No endpoint was found for the specified region."
}
Last updated: Dec 02, 2022