Linear
Tools and workflows for managing issues, projects, and teams in Linear.
Tool Selection
Choose the right tool for the task:
- •MCP tools - Use for simple operations (create/update/query single issues, basic filters)
- •SDK scripts - Use for complex operations (loops, bulk updates, conditional logic, data transformations)
- •GraphQL API - Fallback for operations not supported by MCP or SDK
Conventions
Issue Status
When creating issues, set the appropriate status based on assignment:
- •Assigned to me (
assignee: "me"): Setstate: "Todo" - •Unassigned: Set
state: "Backlog"
Example:
// Issue for myself
await linear.create_issue({
team: "ENG",
title: "Fix authentication bug",
assignee: "me",
state: "Todo"
})
// Unassigned issue
await linear.create_issue({
team: "ENG",
title: "Research API performance",
state: "Backlog"
})
Querying Issues
Use assignee: "me" to filter issues assigned to the authenticated user:
// My issues
await linear.list_issues({ assignee: "me" })
// Team backlog
await linear.list_issues({ team: "ENG", state: "Backlog" })
Labels
You can use label names directly in create_issue and update_issue - no need to look up IDs:
await linear.create_issue({
team: "ENG",
title: "Update documentation",
labels: ["documentation", "high-priority"]
})
Label Lookup: Labels can exist at the workspace level or team level. When searching for labels, check both:
- •Workspace labels:
list_issue_labels()(no team filter) - •Team labels:
list_issue_labels({ team: "TEAM" })
If a label isn't found at the workspace level, check the team before concluding it doesn't exist.
SDK Automation Scripts
Use only when MCP tools are insufficient. For complex operations involving loops, mapping, or bulk updates, write TypeScript scripts using @linear/sdk. See sdk.md for:
- •Complete script patterns and templates
- •Common automation examples (bulk updates, filtering, reporting)
- •Tool selection criteria
Scripts provide full type hints and are easier to debug than raw GraphQL for multi-step operations.
GraphQL API
Fallback only. Use when operations aren't supported by MCP or SDK. See api.md for documentation on using the Linear GraphQL API directly.
Ad-Hoc Queries
Use scripts/query.ts to execute GraphQL queries:
LINEAR_API_KEY=lin_api_xxx node scripts/query.ts "query { viewer { id name } }"
If LINEAR_API_KEY is not provided to the Claude process, inform the user that GraphQL queries cannot be executed without an API key.
Opening Issues in the Desktop App
Use the linear:// URL scheme to open issues in the native Mac app instead of the browser:
# Replace https://linear.app with linear:// in any Linear URL open "linear://team-slug/issue/ENG-123"
The desktop app must be installed. When given an issue identifier (e.g., ENG-123), construct the URL using the team's workspace slug and issue identifier.
Reference
- •Linear MCP: https://linear.app/docs/mcp.md
- •GraphQL API: See
api.md