Create a Python Webex Chatbot in a Few Easy Steps

Create a Python Webex Chatbot in a Few Easy Steps

Table of Contents:

1. Introduction
2. Methods of Receiving Messages from the Webex Cloud
3. Webhooks 3.1 Challenges with Using Webhooks
4. Websockets 4.1 Advantages of Using Websockets
5. Getting Started: Generating Bot Config and API Credentials
6. Creating a Bot on developer.webex.com
7. Configuring Bot Information
8. Running the Bot and Testing Pre-built Commands
9. Adding Custom Commands to the Bot 9.1 Creating a New Command File 9.2 Registering the Command with the Bot
10. Building a Weather Bot 10.1 Using the OpenWeatherMap API 10.2 Writing Code for the Weather Command 10.3 Testing the Weather Bot

Building a Webex Chat Bot Using Websockets

In this article, we will explore the process of building a chat bot using Webex and demonstrate how easy it can be to get started with the help of websockets. We will discuss the two primary methods of receiving messages from the Webex cloud: webhooks and websockets. We will Delve into the challenges of using webhooks and the advantages of using websockets. Furthermore, we will provide a step-by-step guide on how to generate bot configurations and API credentials. We will explain how to Create a bot on developer.webex.com and configure essential bot information. Additionally, we will cover running the bot, testing pre-built commands, and adding custom commands to the bot. As an example, we will build a weather bot using the OpenWeatherMap API and write code for the weather command. Finally, we will test the weather bot to ensure its functionality.

Introduction

Chat bots have become increasingly popular in various applications, including customer service, automation, and information retrieval. Webex provides a robust platform for building chat bots, and in this article, we will explore the process of building a Webex chat bot using websockets.

Methods of Receiving Messages from the Webex Cloud

When building a chat bot, it's crucial to have a method for receiving messages from the Webex cloud. The two primary methods for this are webhooks and websockets.

Webhooks

Webhooks are commonly used and involve the bot reaching out to the Webex cloud and providing a callback URL. Whenever a chat message is received for the bot, it will be posted to the specified URL. While webhooks are easy to implement, there are some challenges associated with this method.

Challenges with Using Webhooks

One challenge with webhooks arises in development or test environments where a public URL and open web server to the internet may not be available. Tunneling tools like ngrok can be used to overcome this challenge, but managing incoming HTTP calls and ensuring security can be cumbersome, especially in production environments.

Another challenge is the need for webhook management. When spinning down or spinning up a bot, it is necessary to check which webhooks are already configured and potentially update them. Managing webhooks can require additional scripting or functions, adding complexity to the overall bot development process.

Websockets

Websockets offer an alternative method for receiving messages from the Webex cloud. Instead of using webhooks, a direct TCP websocket connection is established between the bot's code and the Webex cloud. This direct tunnel eliminates the need to expose the bot publicly to the internet, simplifying firewall rules and security management.

Advantages of Using Websockets

Websockets offer several advantages over webhooks. Firstly, websockets tend to be more responsive due to the persistent TCP tunnel connection. Unlike webhooks, where TCP and SSL handshakes must occur for each message, websockets maintain the connection, resulting in better performance.

Websockets also provide additional features, such as the ability to mark a message as Read or Show a "read message" status indicator in the chat window. These features are currently only supported in websockets, making it an attractive option for bot developers.

Getting Started: Generating Bot Config and API Credentials

To begin building a Webex chat bot, we need to generate bot configurations and API credentials. This can be done by visiting developer.webex.com and following a few simple steps.

1. Visit developer.webex.com and log in to your account.
2. Click on your user icon in the upper right-HAND corner.
3. Select "My Webex Apps" from the dropdown menu.
4. Click on "Create a Bot" to create a new Webex bot.
5. Provide the necessary information, including bot name, username, icon, and description.
   • Note: If You plan to publish your bot on the Webex App Hub, consider the public-facing nature of the information provided.
6. Once the bot is created, Webex will provide an API access token, which will serve as the API key for communication with the Webex cloud.
   • Note: Keep this access token secure, as it provides access to your bot's functionalities.

With the bot config and API credentials in hand, We Are now ready to start building our Webex chat bot.

Creating a Bot on developer.webex.com

Building a bot on developer.webex.com is a straightforward process that involves providing bot information and obtaining the necessary credentials. The following steps Outline how to create a bot using the Webex developer portal.

1. Visit developer.webex.com and log in to your account.
2. Click on your user icon in the upper right-hand corner.
3. Select "My Webex Apps" from the dropdown menu.
4. Click on "Create a Bot" to begin the bot creation process.
5. Provide the required information for your bot:
   • Bot Name: Choose a name for your bot (e.g., Weather Bot).
   • Bot Username: Assign a unique username for your bot (e.g., 0xWeatherBot).
   • Bot Icon: Upload a custom icon or choose from the provided options.
   • Bot Description: Provide a description for your bot (e.g., A chat bot that provides weather information).
   • Visibility: Determine the visibility of your bot (public or private).
6. Click "Add Bot" to create your bot.
7. Wait for a few seconds while Webex provisions your bot.
8. Once the provisioning process is complete, you will be provided with your bot's API access token.
   • Note: This API access token is the key to accessing the Webex cloud and managing your bot's functionalities.

Running the Bot and Testing Pre-built Commands

Now that we have our bot's API access token, we can proceed to run the bot and test its functionalities. The following steps outline the process of running the bot and testing the pre-built commands.

1. Open your terminal or command prompt.
2. Navigate to the directory where your bot code is located.
3. Run the bot by executing the command "python bot.py".
4. Wait for the bot to start, and look for the message indicating that the websocket has been opened.
5. Open the Webex Teams application or Website.
6. Search for your bot by its username or name.
7. Open a chat with the bot.
8. Test the pre-built commands by sending messages to the bot, such as "help" or "echo".
   • The "help" command displays information about the bot's available commands.
   • The "echo" command sends back the message you provide.
9. Verify that the bot responds appropriately to the commands and messages.

Adding Custom Commands to the Bot

In addition to the pre-built commands, we can add custom commands to our Webex chat bot. This allows us to extend the bot's functionalities and provide tailored responses. The following steps outline how to add custom commands to the bot.

Creating a New Command File

1. Open your preferred code editor.
2. Create a new Python file for the custom command (e.g., "weather.py").
3. Import the necessary modules and classes.
4. Define a new class for the command, inheriting from the command model provided by the webex_bot module.
5. Implement the necessary functions, such as init and execute.
   • init: Configure the command keyword, help message, and adaptive card (if required).
   • execute: Handle the execution of the command, including processing the message and attachments (if any).

Registering the Command with the Bot

1. Open your main bot file, such as "bot.py".
2. Import the custom command module (e.g., "from weather import WeatherByZIP").
3. Add the custom command to the bot by calling the "bot.add_command()" method with the appropriate command class as the argument.
4. Save the changes to the bot file.
5. Restart the bot in the terminal or command prompt.

With the custom command added and registered with the bot, we can now test its functionality.

Building a Weather Bot

To demonstrate the process of adding custom commands, we will build a weather bot using the OpenWeatherMap API. The weather bot will provide users with Current weather information Based on US zip codes.

Using the OpenWeatherMap API

We will leverage the OpenWeatherMap API to retrieve weather data in our weather bot. OpenWeatherMap offers a free tier for development purposes and provides various APIs for weather-related functionalities. For the weather command, we will use the "Current Weather Data" API, which allows us to retrieve current weather information using zip codes.

Writing Code for the Weather Command

1. Begin by creating a Python file for the weather command. Name it accordingly (e.g., "weather.py").
2. Import the required modules, such as requests and JSON.
3. Remove any existing return statement from the command execution function.
4. Define the OpenWeatherMap API key as a variable.
5. Obtain the zip code from the message and clean it if necessary.
6. Construct the HTTP URL for the API call, including the zip code and API key as parameters.
   • Optionally, specify the desired units and language.
7. Make an HTTP GET request to the OpenWeatherMap API using the requests module.
8. Retrieve the necessary weather data from the JSON response.
9. Build a human-readable response message using the retrieved weather data.
10. Return the formatted response message.

Testing the Weather Bot

1. Restart the bot in the terminal or command prompt.
2. Open the Webex Teams application or website.
3. Search for your bot by its username or name.
4. Open a chat with the bot.
5. Test the weather command by sending a message with the desired zip code (e.g., "weather 12345").
6. Verify that the bot responds with the current weather information for the specified location.

By following these steps, you have successfully built a Webex chat bot using websockets and added a custom weather command to enhance its capabilities.

Conclusion

Building a Webex chat bot using websockets is a straightforward and efficient process. By leveraging websockets, you can overcome the challenges of using webhooks and enjoy additional benefits such as improved responsiveness and access to advanced features. With the provided guidance, you can generate bot configurations, create a bot on developer.webex.com, run the bot, test pre-built commands, and add custom commands to extend the bot's functionalities. As demonstrated, we built a weather bot utilizing the OpenWeatherMap API and wrote the necessary code for the weather command. By testing the weather bot, we validated its ability to provide current weather information based on user input. We hope this article has been helpful in showcasing the simplicity and practicality of building a Webex chat bot using websockets. Happy bot building!

Highlights

• Build a Webex chat bot using websockets for improved responsiveness and Simplified setup.
• Explore the two primary methods of receiving messages from the Webex cloud: webhooks and websockets.
• Understand the challenges associated with using webhooks and the advantages of utilizing websockets.
• Step-by-step guide on generating bot configurations and API credentials.
• Learn how to create a bot on developer.webex.com and configure essential bot information.
• Run the bot and test pre-built commands to ensure proper functionality.
• Add custom commands to the bot and extend its capabilities.
• Build a weather bot utilizing the OpenWeatherMap API, providing current weather information based on US zip codes.
• Test the weather bot and validate its ability to retrieve and display accurate weather data.

FAQ

Q: Can I use websockets instead of webhooks for all my bot's functionalities? A: While websockets offer advantages such as improved responsiveness, it is vital to consider the specific requirements of your bot. Webhooks can still be useful in certain scenarios, especially when dealing with event-driven workflows or when a persistent connection is not necessary.

Q: Are there any limitations to the OpenWeatherMap API free tier? A: The free tier of the OpenWeatherMap API has some limitations, including limited requests per minute and the availability of certain weather data features. It is important to review the API documentation and consider any potential limitations before relying on it for production purposes.

Q: Can I customize the adaptive cards sent by my bot? A: Yes, you can customize the adaptive cards sent by your bot, including the layout, content, and interactive elements. Adaptive cards offer flexibility in creating interactive and visually appealing messages to enhance user experience.

Q: How can I secure my bot's API access token? A: To secure your bot's API access token, treat it as a sensitive credential and follow security best practices. For example, store it securely in a secure key vault or environment variable and avoid exposing it publicly or including it in source code repositories.

Q: Can I deploy my bot to a production environment? A: Yes, you can deploy your bot to a production environment. However, ensure that you follow security best practices, such as securing the server hosting the bot and controlling access to sensitive resources. Consider using HTTPS for secure communication and implementing authentication and authorization mechanisms where necessary.