*There are three ways to set-up your environment for developing Alexa skills during oyour Alexa event. You can use ready VM (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1njIgepwzL85JYFIMrVLIcdbe4wL6FlV7/view ) or use described here Docker Solution with your lokal machine or programm Alexa in the other way ;)

My solution is based on node.js and lokal docker environment. You can add to your development stack so many technologies you want. Everything is possible with Docker!

1 Amazon Developer Account

Please register at the Amazon Developer Portal It's free of charge. If you already have an Amazon account, then you don't have to register. You can use the credentials of your existing account. Without the Amazon Developer Console you won't be able to write an Alexa skill.

2 Docker Installation

Install Docker CE (Community Edition) on your machine. To test your Docker installation execute the following command:

$ sudo docker run hello-world

3 Docker Containers

Open a first terminal tab and clone my git repository from Github. Please do all steps in that order which are described here :)

$ git clone https://github.com/falent/Alexa_universal_skill_template_cli.git ~/Desktop/Template/Alexa_universal_skill_template

Go to the cloned git repository:

$ cd ~/Desktop/Template/Alexa_universal_skill_template

Create a new Docker network:

$ sudo docker network create myNetwork

Open a new tab and run the ngrok Docker container in your terminal:

On Linux:

$ sudo docker run -v ~/Desktop/Template/Alexa_universal_skill_template:/skill -it --network myNetwork --name alexa_tunnel falent/alexa_tunnel

On Windows: Replace the path with the absolute path to your cloned git repository, e.g. //c/Users/john/Desktop/Alexa_universal_skill_template (⚠️ Leading double slashes!!!).

$ docker run -v <ABSOLUTE_PATH_TO_CLONED_GIT_REPO>:/skill -it --network myNetwork --name alexa_tunnel falent/alexa_tunnel

Open a new tab and run an Alexa Docker container:

On Linux:

$ sudo docker run -v ~/Desktop/Template/Alexa_universal_skill_template:/skill -it --network myNetwork --name alexa falent/alexa_http_server
On Windows:

$ docker run -v <ABSOLUTE_PATH_TO_CLONED_GIT_REPO>:/skill -it --network myNetwork --name alexa falent/alexa_http_server

(it can happens that you wish to add more modules to your skill. In that case you just need to restart your container)

Open a new terminal tab and start Alexa CLI Container:

$ sudo docker run -v ~/Desktop/Template/Alexa_universal_skill_template:/skill -it --network myNetwork --name alexa_cli falent/alexa-cli

OPTIONAL

You can add to your stack also any database f.e

Run a MongoDB Docker container:

$ sudo docker run --name mongo_database -d --network myNetwork -p 27017:27017 mongo --noauth

Run a DynamoDB Docker container:

On Linux:

$ sudo docker run -v "$PWD":/dynamodb_local_db --network myNetwork -p 8000:8000 --name dynamo_database cnadiminti/dynamodb-local:latest
On Windows:

$ docker run -v //c/temp:/dynamodb_local_db --network myNetwork -p 8000:8000 --name dynamo_database cnadiminti/dynamodb-local

4 Configuration

Amazon supporting since couple months a new tool: Alexa CLI. With that tool you can faster develop a skill in your console rather than in a developer portal.

In docker terminal tab Alexa CLI just write:

$ ask init --no-browser

You log to your account using browser authentication.

now in the cli docker container just write:

ask deploy

everything is ready now!

Test your docker or VM environment

you can use new alexa simulator which is included in your amazon developer portal: https://developer.amazon.com/edw/home.html#/skills just get in to your new skill > Test

If you would like to test if your docker containers works fine you can also use any api client

I will use a chrome extension postan https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/postman/fhbjgbiflinjbdggehcddcbncdddomop

open postamn chrome app
Near the top center of the screen is a box with the words "Enter request URL." Paste your ngrok address. In my case it was https://6b926c57.ngrok.io
Change the GET dropdown to POST.
Below the textbox, click the Headers tab. For the key, use "Content-Type", and for the value, use "application/json."
On the Body tab, choose "raw" from the radio buttons, and paste the folowing request. After that click send. You will get a response in your alexa skill container and in postman!

{
  "session": {
    "new": true,
    "sessionId": "SessionId.4604ef05-bfb5-4e2f-9938-3959deff4ae8",
    "application": {
      "applicationId": "amzn1.ask.skill.a875473a-45b2-4dee-b2af-fa75cda0a569"
    },
    "attributes": {},
    "user": {
      "userId": "amzn1.ask.account.AGV2VQ76GKAVKFJUDMSHTBV7X367XX3R2VG3QAQBABUGPSULXNDV5RBCGBDBTR4EMDAPYDQBNGR776NSTJ5LRNKFHRLOGCCXQ2J6ATWF7XZJAYQU45NGG5AFIVM5G3SJZ2VW7ACYWSC4YEGVJOPLL72RFHGKFXXHMCWRWDESXJJH2XTOQ53JODYYD4767AUZPRV3VLMXTVHBSWI"
    }
  },
  "request": {
    "type": "IntentRequest",
    "requestId": "EdwRequestId.9531eadb-edbe-4fe2-a090-47a9bdd467a3",
    "intent": {
      "name": "ContactIntent",
      "slots": {}
    },
    "locale": "de-DE",
    "timestamp": "2018-02-11T14:56:19Z"
  },
  "context": {
    "AudioPlayer": {
      "playerActivity": "IDLE"
    },
    "System": {
      "application": {
        "applicationId": "amzn1.ask.skill.a875473a-45b2-4dee-b2af-fa75cda0a569"
      },
      "user": {
        "userId": "amzn1.ask.account.AGV2VQ76GKAVKFJUDMSHTBV7X367XX3R2VG3QAQBABUGPSULXNDV5RBCGBDBTR4EMDAPYDQBNGR776NSTJ5LRNKFHRLOGCCXQ2J6ATWF7XZJAYQU45NGG5AFIVM5G3SJZ2VW7ACYWSC4YEGVJOPLL72RFHGKFXXHMCWRWDESXJJH2XTOQ53JODYYD4767AUZPRV3VLMXTVHBSWI"
      },
      "device": {
        "supportedInterfaces": {}
      }
    }
  },
  "version": "1.0"
}

Instructions for a quick deployment to Heroku

Execute the following shell commands: