Linear MCP Server
# Linear MCP Server
> Note: This is a custom implementation. For the official Cline Linear MCP server, see [cline/linear-mcp](https://github.com/cline/linear-mcp).
A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides tools for interacting with Linear's API, enabling AI agents to manage issues, projects, and teams programmatically through the Linear platform.
## Features
- **Issue Management**
- Create new issues with customizable properties (title, description, team, assignee, priority, labels)
- List issues with flexible filtering options (team, assignee, status)
- Update existing issues (title, description, status, assignee, priority)
- **Team Management**
- List all teams in the workspace
- Access team details including ID, name, key, and description
- **Project Management**
- List all projects with optional team filtering
- View project details including name, description, state, and associated teams
## Prerequisites
- Node.js (v16 or higher)
- A Linear account with API access
- Linear API key with appropriate permissions
## Quick Start
1. Get your Linear API key from [Linear's Developer Settings](https://linear.app/settings/api)
2. Run with your API key:
```bash
LINEAR_API_KEY=your-api-key npx @ibraheem4/linear-mcp
```
Or set it in your environment:
```bash
export LINEAR_API_KEY=your-api-key
npx @ibraheem4/linear-mcp
```
## Development Setup
1. Clone the repository:
```bash
git clone [repository-url]
cd linear-mcp
```
2. Install dependencies:
```bash
npm install
```
3. Build the project:
```bash
npm run build
```
## Running with Inspector
For local development and debugging, you can use the MCP Inspector:
1. Install supergateway:
```bash
npm install -g supergateway
```
2. Use the included `run.sh` script:
```bash
chmod +x run.sh
LINEAR_API_KEY=your-api-key ./run.sh
```
3. Access the Inspector:
- Open [localhost:1337](http://localhost:1337) in your browser
- The Inspector connects via Server-Sent Events (SSE)
- Test and debug tool calls through the Inspector interface
## Configuration
Configure the MCP server in your settings file based on your client:
### For Claude Desktop
- MacOS: `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json`
- Windows: `%APPDATA%/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json`
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"linear-mcp": {
"command": "node",
"args": ["/path/to/linear-mcp/build/index.js"],
"env": {
"LINEAR_API_KEY": "your-api-key-here"
},
"disabled": false,
"alwaysAllow": []
}
}
}
```
### For VS Code Extension (Cline)
Location: `~/Library/Application Support/Code/User/globalStorage/rooveterinaryinc.roo-cline/settings/cline_mcp_settings.json`
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"linear-mcp": {
"command": "node",
"args": ["/path/to/linear-mcp/build/index.js"],
"env": {
"LINEAR_API_KEY": "your-api-key-here"
},
"disabled": false,
"alwaysAllow": []
}
}
}
```
### For Cursor ([cursor.sh](https://cursor.sh))
For Cursor, the server must be run with the full path:
```bash
node /Users/ibraheem/Projects/linear-mcp/build/index.js
```
## Available Tools
### create_issue
Creates a new issue in Linear.
```typescript
{
title: string; // Required: Issue title
description?: string; // Optional: Issue description (markdown supported)
teamId: string; // Required: Team ID
assigneeId?: string; // Optional: Assignee user ID
priority?: number; // Optional: Priority (0-4)
labels?: string[]; // Optional: Label IDs to apply
}
```
### list_issues
Lists issues with optional filters.
```typescript
{
teamId?: string; // Optional: Filter by team ID
assigneeId?: string; // Optional: Filter by assignee ID
status?: string; // Optional: Filter by status
first?: number; // Optional: Number of issues to return (default: 50)
}
```
### update_issue
Updates an existing issue.
```typescript
{
issueId: string; // Required: Issue ID
title?: string; // Optional: New title
description?: string; // Optional: New description
status?: string; // Optional: New status
assigneeId?: string; // Optional: New assignee ID
priority?: number; // Optional: New priority (0-4)
}
```
### list_teams
Lists all teams in the workspace. No parameters required.
### list_projects
Lists all projects with optional filtering.
```typescript
{
teamId?: string; // Optional: Filter by team ID
first?: number; // Optional: Number of projects to return (default: 50)
}
```
### get_issue
Gets detailed information about a specific issue.
```typescript
{
issueId: string; // Required: Issue ID
}
```
## Development
For development with auto-rebuild:
```bash
npm run watch
```
## Error Handling
The server includes comprehensive error handling for:
- Invalid API keys
- Missing required parameters
- Linear API errors
- Invalid tool requests
All errors are properly formatted and returned with descriptive messages.
## Technical Details
Built with:
- TypeScript
- Linear SDK (@linear/sdk v37.0.0)
- MCP SDK (@modelcontextprotocol/sdk v0.6.0)
The server uses stdio for communication and implements the Model Context Protocol for seamless integration with AI agents.
## License
MIT
TDQS
Scored across 7 tools
Every tool has a clearly distinct purpose with no ambiguity. Each tool targets a specific resource (issue, project, team) and action (create, get, list, search, update), making it easy for an agent to select the correct one.
All tools follow a consistent verb_noun pattern (e.g., create_issue, list_issues, update_issue). The naming is uniform and predictable throughout the set, with no deviations in style or convention.
With 7 tools, the count is well-scoped and appropriate for a Linear issue management server. Each tool earns its place by covering essential operations without being overly sparse or bloated.
The tool set provides strong CRUD coverage for issues (create, get, list, search, update) and lists for projects and teams. A minor gap exists in missing delete operations for issues, projects, or teams, but agents can still handle core workflows effectively.