Today, we’re thrilled to announce a new series of free courses that will teach even beginners how to build and create Amazon Alexa skills.
Alexa skills can be thought of like apps for your phone. A new skill gives Alexa more capabilities like keeping you updated on the news, turning on your lights or the ability to play Jeopardy! with you.
With our four-part course series, you’ll learn everything you need to build your own Alexa skill. Specifically, you’ll empower Alexa with a flashcard skill so Alexa can help you study.
But more than that, these courses were built to give you the knowledge you need now and in the future. With a comprehensive understanding of the process for developing a custom Alexa skill, you’re preparing to work with many other Voice User Interfaces (VUI) applications.
After completing the courses, you’ll be able to build an advanced Alexa skill and prove a working knowledge of creating custom Voice User Interfaces, scripting Lambda functions, and integrating databases with Alexa.
The new suite of four courses, the first of two that launch today, include:
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Build Your First Alexa Skill: Learn how to create a voice-user interface using the Alexa Skills Kit. The result is a simple "Hello Codecademy" Alexa skill that you can engage with on your own Alexa-powered device.
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Create Your Lambda Function: Learn how to use Amazon Web Services (AWS) to host a Lambda function that generates a response to an Alexa device.
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Get User Input: Use custom and built-in slots to allow your skill to get input from users.
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Add Persistence to Your Skill: Use session attributes and DynamoDB to persist user data throughout and across sessions.
With a focus on inclusivity, the courses are accessible to beginners with no prior coding experience and no budget. The courses interface with Echosim.io by iQuarius Media, which is an Alexa skill-testing tool. You don’t have to own an Echo to start programming for it. You can replicate the process through Codecademy.
The courses also require no prerequisite knowledge. We built the series so that anyone can sit down and learn to build an Alexa skill. If this is your first time learning to code, welcome to the family.
Our goal is to be the single best resource for learning the skills you need for your future. Today, that means learning Alexa skills. Our courses are free, were co-developed with Alexa experts at Amazon, who know the subject best, and include new Alexa features that aren’t covered by older online courses.
Our founder Zach says, “Working closely with Amazon to develop these courses allows us to create in-depth, meaningful education with immediate results. We’re making sure everyone has the opportunity to learn how to develop for industry-leading technologies like Amazon Alexa, and also build their knowledge base with valuable experience that can advance their careers.”