Alexa for Apps Skill Manifest Reference

Note: Sign in to the developer console to build or publish your skill.

Note: Alexa for Apps is a developer preview and might change as Amazon receives feedback and iterates on the feature. To use this feature, you must register for the preview. If you have questions or feedback about Alexa for Apps, please email alexaforapps-help@amazon.com.

To enable Alexa for Apps in your skill, you must make changes to your skill manifest. The following example and reference describe how to add an appLink object to your skill manifest and declare support for the APP_LINKS_V2 interface. For the full skill manifest format, see Skill Manifest Schema.

Skill connection request skill manifest example

The following example shows a skill manifest for a skill connection request.

Important: In your own skill manifest, omit the lines "ALEXA FOR APPS ADDITIONS START" and "ALEXA FOR APPS ADDITIONS END".

{
   "manifest": {
      "apis": {
         "custom": {
            "endpoint": {
               "uri": "arn:aws:lambda:us-east-1:040623927470:function:cityGuideSkillLambda"
            },
            "interfaces": [
               {
                  "type":"APP_LINKS_V2"
               }
            ],
================== ALEXA FOR APPS ADDITIONS START ==================
            "appLink": {
               "linkedApplications": [
                  {
                     "friendlyName":{
                        "default":"CityGuide",
                        "localizedNames": [
                           {
                              "locale":"de-DE",
                              "name":"Stadtführer"
                           }
                        ]
                     },
                     "catalogInfo": {
                        "type": "IOS_APP_STORE",
                        "identifier": "id123456789"
                     },
                     "customSchemes": [
                        "cityguide://",
                        "ctgd://"
                     ],
                     "domains": [
                        "cityguide.com",
                        "ctgd.com"
                     ]
                  },
                  {
                     "friendlyName":{
                        "default":"CityGuide",
                        "localizedNames": [
                           {
                              "locale":"de-DE",
                              "name":"Stadtführer"
                           }
                        ]
                     },
                     "catalogInfo": {
                        "type": "GOOGLE_PLAY_STORE",
                        "identifier": "com.cityguide.app"
                     },
                     "customSchemes": [
                        "cityguide://",
                        "ctgd://"
                     ],
                     "domains": [
                        "cityguide.com",
                        "ctgd.com"
                     ],
                     "androidCustomIntents": [
                        {
                           "component": "com.someapp.SomeActivity",
                           "action": "com.someapp.SOME_ACTION"
                        }
                     ]
                  }
               ],
               "linkedWebDomains": [
                  "grubbhouse.com",
                  "amazon.com",
                  "yahoo.com"
               ],
               "linkedCommonSchemes": {
                  "IOS_APP_STORE": [
                     "MAPS",
                     "TEL"
                  ],
                  "GOOGLE_PLAY_STORE": [
                     "MAPS",
                     "TEL"
                  ]
               },
               "linkedAndroidCommonIntents": [
                  {
                     "intentName": "SHOW_IN_MAP",
                     "catalogType": "GOOGLE_PLAY_STORE"
                  }
               ]
            }
================== ALEXA FOR APPS ADDITIONS END ==================
         }
      }
   },
   "permissions": [
      {
        "name": "alexa::devices:app:push_notifications"
      }
    ]       
}

Note: Include alexa::devices:app:push_notifications in the permissions array so that you can send push notifications in the non-mobile flow.

App link skill manifest reference

appLink object

The appLink object contains an object for each app your skill links to. If you have iOS and Android versions of your app, these versions count as separate apps.

If your deep link request includes a URI, prefix, or package name, it must match a corresponding item in the domains or customSchemes field in your skill manifest. Otherwise, the deep link request fails as unauthorized.

Important: Your organization must have permissions to deep link to the apps and websites that you declare here. Amazon generally doesn't permit cross-domain deep links, unless the link is to a utility app, such as a map app (for example, if the City Guide skill intends to send directions for a restaurant to the user's map app).

Field	Description	Type	Required
`linkedApplications`	A list of associated apps.	Array of objects	At least one of `linkedApplications`, `linkedWebDomains`, or `linkedCommonSchemes` must be declared.
`linkedWebDomains`	A list of website domains or subdomains that your skill wants to launch in a browser. Only use this field when there's no associated app; it's not a universal link.	String array	At least one of `linkedApplications`, `linkedWebDomains`, or `linkedCommonSchemes` must be declared.
`linkedCommonSchemes`	Common schemes that your skill can launch in the iOS App Store or Google Play Store.	Object	At least one of `linkedApplications`, `linkedWebDomains`, or `linkedCommonSchemes` must be declared.
`linkedCommonSchemes.IOS_APP_STORE`	List of common schemes that your skill can launch in the iOS App Store. Valid schemes are `MAPS` and `TEL`.	Array of enum	No
`linkedCommonSchemes.GOOGLE_PLAY_STORE`	List of common schemes that your skill can launch in the Google Play Store. Valid schemes are `MAPS` and `TEL`.	Array of enum	No
`linkedAndroidCommonIntents`	A list of Android common intents that your skill can launch.	Array of objects	No
`linkedAndroidCommonIntents.intentName`	The name of the Android common intent. One of: `SHOW_IN_MAP`, `ADD_CALENDAR_EVENT`, `PLAY_MEDIA`, `START_PHONE_CALL`, `OPEN_SETTINGS`. This value specifies the format of the Android intent. For example, `SHOW_IN_MAP` requires "action" to be "android.intent.action.VIEW" and "data" to be "geo:" in the Android intent.	Enum	No
`linkedAndroidCommonIntents.catalogType`	The catalog type for the linked intent. Currently the only possible value is `GOOGLE_PLAY_STORE`.	Enum	No

linkedApplications object

Field	Description	Type	Required
`friendlyName`	Names for the app according to locale	Object	Yes
`catalogInfo`	Information Alexa for Apps needs to link to your app in the iOS App Store or Google Play Store	Object	Yes
`customSchemes`	A comma-separated list of custom schemes used to validate custom scheme links. At runtime, Alexa for Apps validates the custom scheme within the deep link by using a regular expression built with this value. Required for custom scheme link requests.	String array	No
`domains`	A list of domains used to validate universal links. At runtime, Alexa for Apps validates the domain within the deep link by using a regular expression built with this value. Required for universal links and website deep links.	String array	No
`androidCustomIntents`	A list of custom Android intents.	Array of objects	Yes

friendlyName object

The friendlyName object indicates how you want your app name to appear in any voice responses that Alexa provides automatically when deep linking.

For example, in a fallback scenario when the user hasn't installed your app, you might have Alexa take the user to the iOS App Store or the Google Play Store instead. In those cases, Alexa says something like, "To enable this experience you'll need to install the app. Here's <App Name> in the App Store."

Field	Description	Type	Required
`default`	Friendly name for your app in its home locale. If you don't specify `localizedNames`, Alexa for Apps uses this value for all locales.	String	Yes
`localizedNames`	Contains an array of friendly names for your app when the user's device locale isn't the home locale. This array is required only if your app has different friendly names across different locales. You can only specify `localizedNames` values for the locales that you included in the `manifest.publishingInformation.locales` section of your skill manifest.	Object array	No
`localizedNames[].locale`	Locale, for example, `de-DE`.	String	Yes
`localizedNames[].names`	Name for your app in that locale.	String	Yes

catalogInfo object

The catalogInfo object contains the information that Alexa for Apps needs to link to your app in the iOS App Store or Google Play Store.

Alexa for Apps uses the identifier field to validate deep link requests. For example, an Android intent deep link request must be for an intent whose root package name is in the catalogInfo object. Otherwise, the request fails as unauthorized.

Field	Description	Type	Required
`type`	`IOS_APP_STORE` or `GOOGLE_PLAY_STORE`	String enumeration value	Yes
`identifier`	The identifier for your app in the iOS App Store or Google Play Store. For iOS apps, it's a numeric identifier, for example, id123456789. For Android intents, it's typically the package name, for example, `com.cityguide.app`.	String	Yes

androidCustomIntents object

Use androidCustomIntents object to declare an Android custom intent. If your skill sends an Android custom intent, you must declare the custom intent in your skill manifest.

Field	Description	Type	Required
`component`	The component for the Android custom intent. Required if `action` isn't specified.	String	No
`action`	The action for the Android custom intent. Required if `component` isn't specified.	String	No

Last updated: Feb 27, 2023