> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://mycroft-ai.gitbook.io/mark-ii/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://mycroft-ai.gitbook.io/mark-ii/differences-to-classic-core/sessions.md).

# Sessions

With sessions, skill intent handlers change from:

```
def handle_intent(self):
    self.speak_dialog("my-dialog", data={"x": 1})
    self.gui["y"] = 2
    self.gui.show_page("my-page.qml")
```

to this:

```
def handle_intent(self):
    return self.end_session(
        dialog=("my-dialog", {"x": 1}),
        gui=("my-page.qml", {"y": 2})
    )
```

Rather than executing commands to control the GUI and TTS, the skill is returning a message that expresses what it *wants* to do. The session manager (intent service) can then decide whether or not to do it.

A new session begins when an utterance is received, and is usually ended by a skill's intent handler (`self.end_session()`). When the session is over, the GUI returns to the home screen after all TTS has been spoken.

Exceptions to the default flow include:

* Using `self.continue_session(expect_response=True)` to get a response from the user.
  * The skill's `raw_utterance` method is called with the utterance
* Common Query/Play
  * The parent skill uses `continue_session` and expects the child skill to end it