How to Build Cool Projects

without knowing anything

http://ter.ps/hackapi

Sean Bae

HACKATHONS

You see intimidating things

• Machine Learning
  • Image Recognition
  • Speech Recognition

You see intimidating things

• Machine Learning
  • Image Recognition
  • Speech Recognition
• More rocket science
  • Cure cancer
  • Solve world hunger
  • What's next?

No need to reinvent the wheel

Web API 101

• Abstraction over implementation
• Access services provided by remote servers
• Useful APIs: http://ter.ps/api1
• APIs to access data: http://ter.ps/api2

Internet at 200,000 Feet

HTTP

Client

(Browser)

Server

request

response

HTTP Requests

• Header
  • Holds metadata
• Method
  • GET, POST, etc.
• URL
  • /v1/api/hacktorial
• Data

Demonstration: GET Request

Run the command:
nc -l 3000

On browser go to:
http://localhost:3000

Demonstration: POST Request

$.ajax({
    url: '/api/v1/endpoint',
    method: 'POST',
    data: data,
    success, successCallback,
    error: errorCallback
});

HTTP Common Status Codes

• 200 OK
• 202 Accepted
• 301 Moved Permanently
• 404 Not Found
• 500 Internal Server Error

Let's build cool stuff!

Wit.ai

• NLP (Natural Language Processing) Platform
• Powers Facebook M
• https://wit.ai/

Node.js Basics

• JavaScript runtime on V8 Engine
• Event-driven loop
• Single-threaded
• High level of concurrency

while (waitForEvent()) {
    processEvent();
}

You are going to build a smart home assistant that:

• Opens/closes the door for you
• Changes the room temperature

High-Level Instructions

• Train your own Wit.ai instance
• Use Web Speech API for voice recognition
• Use AJAX call to retrieve the intent from Wit.ai
• Perform actions

https://github.com/SeanBae/Jarvis/

https://github.com/SeanBae/Jarvis/

git clone https://github.com/SeanBae/Jarvis.git