# Linear MCP > Linear (Issue Tracking & PM) lets your AI agent take full control of your product development lifecycle. You can track issues, audit team projects, and monitor sprint cycles—all through natural conversation. It's designed for teams that need to manage complex workflows without leaving their chat client. ## Overview - **Category:** loved-by-devs - **Price:** Free - **Tags:** issue-tracking, sprint-planning, roadmap-management, task-management, workflow-automation, team-collaboration ## Description Managing a product roadmap means juggling status updates, project scopes, and assignment changes across multiple boards. This MCP connects your agent directly into Linear, giving you full visibility into your development workflow. Instead of opening the browser and clicking through tabs just to find an issue's priority or its assigned team, you ask your AI client what you need. Your agent handles the complexity—it knows which labels mean 'urgent bug,' it can list every active project, and it tracks who owns what work across different teams. Connecting this MCP via Vinkius means you get access to Linear’s entire data set from any compatible AI client. You use natural language to audit sprint cycles, pinpoint specific issues for deep context inspection, or even update a status directly. It's about having the data available instantly when your team needs it most. ## Tools ### list_teams Retrieves a list of all logical teams that map workspace access. ### create_issue Generates and creates a new issue within a specific Linear team, requiring the team ID. ### search_issues Searches for issues across Linear using keywords and returns matching status and assignment details. ### list_issues Lists recent, general issues from the entire Linear workspace. ### get_issue Gets detailed information for a single, specific issue tracking ID. ### list_projects Lists all active projects available in the workspace for monitoring scope. ### list_cycles Displays current sprint cycle bounds, including their start and end dates. ### list_labels Provides a list of global metadata tags used to categorize issues within the workspace. ### list_users Lists all explicitly mapped members in the workspace, confirming active access limits. ### get_viewer Authenticates and retrieves data for the current global user boundaries. ### update_issue Changes the status or details of an existing Linear issue. ### list_workflow_states Lists all valid workflow states (like Backlog, To Do, Done) to guide status changes. ### get_project Retrieves detailed information about one specific Linear project. ### create_comment Adds a new comment thread to an issue, notifying assignees and subscribers. ## Prompt Examples **Prompt:** ``` List all active issues assigned to me in the 'Engineering' team ``` **Response:** ``` I've found 4 active issues for you in Engineering: 1) 'Fix API Timeout' (ENG-101), 2) 'Implement Auth Hook' (ENG-105), 3) 'Update Schema Docs' (ENG-108), and 4) 'Review PR #45' (ENG-112). Which one would you like to update the status for? ``` **Prompt:** ``` Show me the details for issue 'ENG-101' ``` **Response:** ``` Issue ENG-101 ('Fix API Timeout'): Priority: Urgent, Status: In Progress, Label: 'Bug'. Description: 'API calls to the /v1/search endpoint are timing out after 30s under heavy load'. It is currently assigned to you and part of the current cycle. ``` **Prompt:** ``` What is the end date for the current sprint cycle? ``` **Response:** ``` The current sprint cycle for the Engineering team ends this Friday, March 27th. There are currently 12 active issues in the cycle, with 8 in the 'Todo' or 'In Progress' states. Would you like a list of remaining tasks? ``` ## Capabilities ### Audit Project and Team Structure List all active projects, map out logical teams, and view global metadata tags to understand how work is categorized. ### Inspect Issue Details and Context Search for specific issues using keywords or retrieve full descriptions, assigned labels, and internal priority levels instantly. ### Manage Task Status and Comments Update an existing issue's status or add comments to notify assignees without opening the Linear application. ### Monitor Sprint Timelines Get clear boundaries for active sprint cycles, including start/end dates and current progress counts. ### Create New Work Items Generate a new issue within a specific team using the agent's context. ## Use Cases ### Weekly Sprint Review Prep A Product Manager needs a report on the current sprint. They ask their agent for the end date of the cycle and how many issues are 'To Do' or 'In Progress.' The agent uses `list_cycles` and aggregates the data, giving them an instant summary for their meeting agenda. ### Triage a High-Priority Bug A Software Engineer gets a bug report (BUG-404). Instead of opening Linear, they ask their agent for the issue's deep context. The agent uses `get_issue` to pull priority, labels, and full descriptions right into the IDE chat. ### Reassigning Blocked Work An Engineering Lead notices a critical task is stalled in 'In Progress.' They ask their agent to check which users are assigned to the project. The agent uses `list_users` and then facilitates re-routing by updating the issue status. ### Project Scope Check A PM needs to know if a new feature fits within an existing project scope. They ask their agent to list all active projects (`list_projects`) and check the details of the target project using `get_project`. ## Benefits - Stop manually checking status boards. You can use the agent to search for issues or get deep context on any tracking ID instantly. This is way faster than copy-pasting IDs into a spreadsheet. - Audit your team's capacity easily. The MCP lets you list all active projects and monitor current sprint cycles, giving project leads immediate scope visibility without leaving their chat window. - Update work items with precision. Instead of navigating to an issue just to change its status, the agent handles transitions using `list_workflow_states` and then updates the item for you. - Know who owns what work. You can list all workspace members or check team boundaries (`list_teams`) so you know exactly which role is responsible for a given task. - Keep stakeholders informed without friction. Use `create_comment` to add status notes directly to an issue, ensuring everyone assigned gets real-time notifications. ## How It Works The bottom line is you talk to your agent, and the data from Linear shows up in your chat window. 1. Subscribe to this MCP and enter your Linear API Key. 2. Connect it to your preferred AI client (Claude, Cursor, etc.). 3. Ask your agent a natural language question about issues, projects, or sprints. ## Frequently Asked Questions **How do I use Linear MCP to find an issue's full context?** You use the `get_issue` tool and provide a specific tracking ID. The agent then returns the priority, labels, and complete description for that single item. **Can I update an issue status using Linear MCP?** Yes, you can. You tell your agent to run `update_issue`, and it manages the state transition after confirming valid states via `list_workflow_states`. **What is the best way to check my team's available resources?** Use the `list_users` tool. This shows all explicitly mapped workspace members, helping you see who has active access and can take on new tasks. **How does Linear MCP help with sprint planning?** It helps by providing current tracking sprint cycle bounds using `list_cycles`. You get the start/end dates and a count of issues in various states for accurate planning. **Do I need to know the team ID to create an issue with Linear MCP?** Yes. To run `create_issue`, you first use `list_teams` to get the correct logical team segment boundary mapping before telling the agent where to place the new task.