Can't afford an Amazon Echo smart speaker? Just build one yourself.

The company's GitHub page provides an incredibly detailed manual for running Alexa Voice Service on a Raspberry Pi. Step-by-step instructions lead you the whole way—from set up to the moment you press play and dance gleefully around the room to "We Are the Champions." It also includes a parts list and guide for setting up the Raspberry Pi.

Amazon last summer opened the technology behind Alexa—the voice that powers its Echo speaker—to developers and third-party hardware makers, encouraging them to integrate the program into their own hardware, or create entirely new experiences.

Now, anyone with basic programming skills and a familiarity with shell—as well as a Raspberry Pi 2 Model B, among other accoutrements—can turn the mini computer into a smart listening device.

There's one catch, however: Your DIY Echo won't have the always-on, always-listening power of Amazon's speaker. So, instead, you'll have to press a button to wake Alexa up.

To do so, click the "Start Listening" switch, then ask "What's the weather in New York?" Tap again and wait for a robotic voice to deliver the current weather report from The Big Apple.

Also, try requesting music playback, general knowledge ("What is the mass of the sun in grams"), or geeky and fun facts. Alexa can also help you set a timer or alarm for you—hands free.

Keep in mind, though, that for non-coders, the GitHub instructions will look like nothing more than gobbledigook. More experienced folks, however, can dive right into the process, though you will need an Amazon Developer Account to add Alexa.

Amazon unveiled its cylindrical, voice-controlled, always-connected speaker in November 2014. Measuring 9.25 inches tall, Echo has seven microphones and uses far-field voice-recognition technology, so it can hear you even when music is playing.

Early this month, the company introduced smaller sibling Echo Dot, a hands-free, voice-controlled speaker that fits into any room and can request an Uber. The Amazon Tap, meanwhile, is a portable Bluetooth speaker with Alexa Voice Service.

For more, see PCMag's review of the Amazon Echo and the slideshow above.