Responding to Incoming Text Messages with Scala and Finatra

By Kelley Robinson, in 2018, the author created an SMS bot using Scala and Finatra that can respond to incoming text messages with a fictional bank balance. The author provides step-by-step instructions on how to set up the necessary dependencies, including Java JDK 8, SBT, Ngrok, and a Twilio account, as well as how to configure the Finatra application to receive and reply to inbound SMS messages using Twilio's markup language, Twiml. The author demonstrates how to build an interactive bot that can filter responses based on incoming message content, such as requesting a balance or just sending a thank-you message.