Chatbot Development and Integration Flashcards

What is 'intent routing' in a chatbot backend?

Answer: The process of directing recognized user intents to the appropriate handler or business logic function

Intent routing maps each recognized intent to the correct code path that fulfills the user's request.

Which data format is most commonly used for chatbot API request and response bodies?

Answer: JSON

JSON is the de facto standard for chatbot API payloads due to its lightweight structure, human readability, and universal language support.

What is a 'fallback API' integration used for in chatbots?

Answer: Querying a secondary knowledge source like a search engine when the bot's trained intents don't match

Fallback APIs allow the bot to retrieve external information as a last resort, reducing dead-end conversations.

What security practice is essential when integrating chatbots with third-party APIs?

Answer: Storing API keys in environment variables and never exposing them in client-side code

Environment variables keep sensitive credentials out of source code, preventing unauthorized access if the codebase is exposed.

What is 'rate limiting' important for in chatbot API integrations?

Answer: Preventing the bot from exceeding third-party API call quotas and incurring errors or costs

Rate limiting ensures the bot respects API usage limits, avoiding service interruptions and unexpected charges.

What does 'graceful degradation' mean in chatbot system design?

Answer: Maintaining core functionality when an integrated service fails, rather than crashing entirely

Graceful degradation ensures the bot can still help users with basic tasks even when external APIs or services are temporarily unavailable.