Linear Development Accelerator

A comprehensive skill for accelerating software development using Linear project management with MCP server integration. This skill enables rapid project setup, intelligent issue management, and streamlined development workflows for web and mobile applications.

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when:

Starting a new software development project and need to set up Linear project management Managing issues, tasks, and features for frontend, backend, or full-stack applications Organizing development work into sprints/cycles with proper tracking Collaborating with development teams on software projects Automating project management tasks during development Tracking bugs, features, and technical debt systematically Building applications with structured project management workflows Integrating Linear with GitHub for PR-based development Core Concepts Linear Project Management Philosophy

Linear emphasizes speed, clarity, and focus for software teams:

Issues as First-Class Citizens: Every unit of work is an issue with rich metadata Cycles for Sprint Planning: Time-boxed iterations for focused execution Projects for Product Planning: Higher-level initiatives and roadmaps Teams for Organization: Workspaces for different functions or products Workflows for Process: Custom statuses matching your development process Key Linear Entities Teams: Organizational units (e.g., Frontend, Backend, Mobile) Issues: Individual tasks, bugs, features, or improvements Projects: Collections of related issues for larger initiatives Cycles: Time-boxed iterations (similar to sprints) Labels: Categorization and filtering mechanism Statuses: Issue states (Backlog, Todo, In Progress, In Review, Done, Canceled) Comments: Collaboration and discussion on issues Documents: Long-form documentation integrated with issues MCP Server Tools Reference Issue Management list_issues

List and filter issues in your workspace.

Common Parameters:

team: Team name or ID assignee: User ID, name, email, or "me" for your issues state: Status name or ID (e.g., "In Progress", "Done") label: Label name or ID for filtering project: Project name or ID query: Search in title/description limit: Number of results (max 250, default 50) orderBy: "createdAt" or "updatedAt" (default) includeArchived: Include archived issues (default: true)

Examples:

Get my current issues

assignee: "me" state: "In Progress" limit: 10

Find bugs in a specific project

label: "bug" project: "Mobile App" state: "Todo"

Search for authentication-related issues

query: "authentication" team: "Backend"

create_issue

Create a new issue with full metadata.

Required Parameters:

title: Issue title (clear and concise) team: Team name or ID

Optional Parameters:

description: Markdown description with details assignee: User ID, name, email, or "me" state: State type, name, or ID priority: 0=None, 1=Urgent, 2=High, 3=Normal, 4=Low labels: Array of label names or IDs project: Project name or ID cycle: Cycle name, number, or ID parentId: Parent issue ID for sub-issues dueDate: ISO format date links: Array of {url, title} objects

Example:

title: "Implement user authentication" team: "Backend" description: | ## Overview Add JWT-based authentication to the API

## Tasks - [ ] Design auth flow - [ ] Implement JWT tokens - [ ] Add refresh token logic - [ ] Write tests

## Acceptance Criteria - Secure token generation - Token expiration handling - Proper error responses assignee: "me" priority: 2 # High labels: ["feature", "authentication", "backend"] project: "API v2.0"

update_issue

Update an existing issue.

Required: id (issue ID)

Updatable Fields:

title, description, assignee, state, priority, labels, project, cycle, parentId, dueDate, estimate, links

Example:

id: "issue-uuid-here" state: "In Progress" assignee: "me" labels: ["feature", "in-development"]

get_issue

Get detailed issue information including attachments and git branch.

Parameters:

id: Issue ID

Returns: Full issue details with attachments, git branch name, related data

Project Management list_projects

List and filter projects.

Parameters:

team: Team name or ID state: State name or ID member: User ID, name, email, or "me" initiative: Initiative name or ID query: Search project names limit: Number of results (max 250, default 50) orderBy: "createdAt" or "updatedAt" includeArchived: Include archived (default: false)

create_project

Create a new project.

Required Parameters:

name: Project name team: Team name or ID

Optional Parameters:

description: Full Markdown description summary: Concise plaintext summary (max 255 chars) lead: Project lead (User ID, name, email, or "me") state: Project state priority: 0-4 (None, Urgent, High, Medium, Low) startDate: ISO format date targetDate: ISO format date labels: Array of label names or IDs

Example:

name: "Mobile App v2.0" team: "Mobile" summary: "Complete redesign of mobile app with new features" description: | # Mobile App v2.0

## Goals - Modern UI/UX redesign - Offline-first architecture - Push notifications - Real-time sync

## Timeline Q1 2025 - Design & Planning Q2 2025 - Development Q3 2025 - Testing & Launch lead: "me" priority: 2 startDate: "2025-01-15" targetDate: "2025-09-30" labels: ["mobile", "redesign", "major-release"]

update_project

Update existing project details.

Required: id (project ID)

Updatable: name, description, summary, lead, state, priority, startDate, targetDate, labels

get_project

Get detailed project information.

Parameters:

query: Project ID or name

Labels & Categorization list_issue_labels

List available labels.

Parameters:

team: Team name or ID (optional, for team-specific labels) name: Filter by label name limit: Number of results (max 250) orderBy: "createdAt" or "updatedAt"

create_issue_label

Create new label for categorization.

Required:

name: Label name

Optional:

color: Hex color code (e.g., "#10B981") description: Label description teamId: Team UUID (omit for workspace label) isGroup: true for label groups (default: false) parentId: Parent label UUID for hierarchical labels

Example:

name: "frontend" color: "#3B82F6" description: "Frontend-related tasks and features" teamId: "team-uuid-here"

Workflow & Status Management list_issue_statuses

List available statuses for a team.

Parameters:

team: Team name or ID (required)

Returns: Array of statuses with id, type, name

Types: backlog, unstarted, started, completed, canceled get_issue_status

Get detailed status information.

Parameters:

id: Status ID name: Status name team: Team name or ID (required)

Collaboration list_comments

List comments on an issue.

Parameters:

issueId: Issue ID (required)

create_comment

Add comment to an issue.

Parameters:

issueId: Issue ID (required) body: Markdown comment content (required) parentId: Parent comment ID for replies (optional)

Example:

issueId: "issue-uuid-here" body: | Great progress! A few notes:

• Consider edge case for expired tokens
• Add integration test for refresh flow
• Document the auth header format

Team & User Management list_teams

List all teams in workspace.

Parameters:

query: Search query (optional) limit: Number of results (max 250) includeArchived: Include archived teams (default: false)

get_team

Get detailed team information.

Parameters:

query: Team UUID, key, or name

list_users

List users in workspace.

Parameters:

query: Filter by name or email (optional)

get_user

Get user details.

Parameters:

query: User ID, name, email, or "me"

Cycles (Sprint Planning) list_cycles

Get cycles for a team.

Parameters:

teamId: Team ID (required) type: "current", "previous", "next", or omit for all

Documentation list_documents

List Linear documents.

Parameters:

query: Search query creatorId: Creator user ID projectId: Project ID initiativeId: Initiative ID limit: Number of results (max 250) orderBy: "createdAt" or "updatedAt" includeArchived: Include archived (default: false)

get_document

Get document by ID or slug.

Parameters:

id: Document ID or slug

Development Workflow Patterns Pattern 1: New Feature Development

Scenario: Building a new feature for a web application

1. Create feature issue

2. Use create_issue with:

   • Clear title: "Add dark mode toggle"
   • Detailed description with tasks and acceptance criteria
   • Assign to yourself or team member
   • Add labels: ["feature", "frontend", "ui"]
   • Link to project: "Q1 Features"
   • Set priority based on urgency

3. Break down into sub-tasks (if complex)

4. Create child issues with parentId
5. Each sub-task is a manageable unit of work

6. Example sub-tasks:

   • "Design dark mode color scheme"
   • "Implement theme context in React"
   • "Add toggle button component"
   • "Persist theme preference"

7. Track progress

8. Update issue state as you work:
   • Todo → In Progress → In Review → Done
9. Add comments with updates and blockers

10. Link PR when ready for review

11. Complete and review

12. Update state to "In Review"
13. Add links to PR, deployed preview
14. Mark as Done when merged and deployed

Pattern 2: Bug Triage and Fix

Scenario: Handling bug reports efficiently

1. Create bug issue
2. title: Clear description of the bug
3. description: Steps to reproduce, expected/actual behavior
4. labels: ["bug", "priority:high"] if critical
5. assignee: Developer responsible for that area

6. Add links to error logs, screenshots

7. Investigation

8. Update to "In Progress"
9. Add comments with findings
10. Link to related issues if discovered

11. Update priority if needed

12. Fix implementation

13. Reference issue in commit messages
14. Link PR to issue

15. Add comment explaining fix approach

16. Verification and closure

17. State: "In Review" during QA
18. State: "Done" after verification
19. Add comment confirming fix is deployed

Pattern 3: Sprint/Cycle Planning

Scenario: Planning a 2-week development cycle

1. Review backlog
2. list_issues with state: "Backlog"
3. Filter by priority and labels

4. Identify issues ready for development

5. Create or select cycle

6. list_cycles to see current cycle

7. Organize selected issues into cycle

8. Assign and prioritize

9. Distribute issues across team
10. Set priorities: Urgent (1) → High (2) → Normal (3)

11. Balance workload across team members

12. Daily tracking

13. list_issues with assignee: "me", state: "In Progress"
14. Update issue states as work progresses
15. Add comments for standup updates

16. Move blocked issues back to Todo

17. Cycle review

18. List completed issues in cycle
19. Review metrics (velocity, completion rate)
20. Move incomplete issues to next cycle or backlog

Pattern 4: Project Setup for New Application

Scenario: Starting a new mobile app project

1. Create project
2. name: "Mobile App - iOS & Android"
3. description: Full project scope, goals, timeline
4. Set lead, dates, labels

5. Link to design docs, PRD

6. Set up project structure

7. Create initial issues for setup:
   • "Setup React Native project"
   • "Configure CI/CD pipeline"
   • "Design component architecture"
   • "Setup state management"
8. Assign to team members

9. Add to project

10. Create epics (major features)

11. Authentication system
12. User profile management
13. Core app functionality
14. Push notifications

15. Each epic is a parent issue with sub-issues

16. Organize into cycles

17. Cycle 1: Project setup & architecture
18. Cycle 2-3: Core features
19. Cycle 4: Polish & testing

20. Assign issues to appropriate cycles

21. Track progress

22. Update project description with status
23. Weekly reviews with get_project
24. Adjust priorities and timeline as needed

Pattern 5: GitHub Integration Workflow

Scenario: Linking Linear issues with GitHub PRs

1. Create issue in Linear
2. Get git branch name from issue: issue.gitBranchName

3. Example: "cetiaiservices/cet-95-create-benchmark-methodology-guide"

4. Create branch using Linear's suggested name

5. Ensures automatic linking

6. Linear tracks PR status automatically

7. Development

8. Commit with Linear issue reference: "CET-95: Add benchmark docs"

9. Linear updates issue automatically when PR created

10. Code review

11. PR opened → Linear sets state to "In Review"
12. Comments on PR can sync to Linear

13. Review feedback tracked in both systems

14. Merge and deploy

15. PR merged → Linear can auto-complete issue
16. Deployment triggers update Linear with links
17. Full traceability from issue → PR → deployment

Accelerated Development Strategies Strategy 1: Batch Issue Creation

When starting a project, create all known issues in one go:

// Create multiple related issues const features = [ "User registration and login", "Password reset flow", "Email verification", "Social auth (Google, GitHub)", "Two-factor authentication" ];

// For each feature, create issue with: - Consistent labeling: ["auth", "feature"] - Link to parent project: "Authentication System" - Assign to team members based on expertise - Set due dates based on project timeline

Strategy 2: Smart Filtering for Focus

Use filters to reduce cognitive load:

// Morning: What do I need to work on today? assignee: "me" state: "In Progress" orderBy: "updatedAt"

// Planning: What's in the backlog for my team? team: "Frontend" state: "Backlog" priority: 2 // High priority items labels: ["ready-for-dev"]

// Review: What needs my attention? assignee: "me" state: "In Review" orderBy: "createdAt" // Oldest first

Strategy 3: Template-Based Issue Creation

Create consistent issues using templates:

// Bug report template title: "[BUG] {concise description}" description: | ## Bug Description

## Steps to Reproduce 1. {Step 1} 2. {Step 2} 3. {Step 3}

## Expected Behavior

## Actual Behavior

## Environment - Browser: {browser} - OS: {OS} - Version: {version}

## Additional Context {Screenshots, logs, etc.} labels: ["bug", "needs-triage"] priority: 3 // Default to normal, adjust after triage

// Feature request template title: "[FEATURE] {feature name}" description: | ## Feature Description

## User Story As a {user type} I want {goal} So that {benefit}

## Acceptance Criteria - [ ] {Criterion 1} - [ ] {Criterion 2} - [ ] {Criterion 3}

## Design Notes

## Technical Notes {Implementation considerations} labels: ["feature", "needs-refinement"]

Strategy 4: Automated Status Updates

Update issues as part of your development workflow:

// In CI/CD pipeline: - Tests passing → Add comment with test results - Deploy to staging → Update with staging URL - Deploy to production → Mark as Done, add production URL

// In git hooks: - Pre-commit: Verify issue reference in commit message - Post-merge: Update Linear issue status - Tag creation: Link release to completed issues

Strategy 5: Cross-Functional Coordination

Use Linear for coordinating frontend/backend/mobile work:

// Create parent issue for full-stack feature Parent: "User Dashboard Feature" ├─ Child: "[Backend] Dashboard API endpoints" │ └─ labels: ["backend", "api"] ├─ Child: "[Frontend] Dashboard React components" │ └─ labels: ["frontend", "react"] └─ Child: "[Mobile] Dashboard mobile screens" └─ labels: ["mobile", "flutter"]

// Track dependencies - Backend issue must complete first - Frontend/Mobile can work in parallel after API ready - Use "blocked" relation type to track dependencies

Best Practices Issue Creation Clear Titles: Start with verb (Add, Fix, Update, Refactor) Rich Descriptions: Use markdown, checklists, code blocks Proper Labeling: Consistent label taxonomy Right Sizing: Issues should be completable in 1-3 days Acceptance Criteria: Always define "done" Project Organization One Project Per Initiative: Don't create too many projects Use Labels for Categorization: More flexible than projects Regular Cleanup: Archive completed projects Clear Ownership: Every project needs a lead Linked Documentation: Keep project descriptions updated Workflow Management Limit Work in Progress: Max 3 "In Progress" issues per person Update Status Promptly: Keep issues current Use Comments Liberally: Document decisions and blockers Link Related Issues: Build context through relations Complete Issues Fully: Don't leave zombie issues Team Collaboration Assign Clearly: Every issue should have one owner Use @mentions: Tag people in comments for visibility Regular Reviews: Weekly project/cycle reviews Celebrate Wins: Mark milestones and achievements Share Context: Link to PRs, docs, designs Label Taxonomy

Recommended label categories:

Type Labels: - feature, bug, improvement, docs, refactor, test

Priority Labels: - priority:urgent, priority:high, priority:normal, priority:low

Area Labels: - frontend, backend, mobile, devops, design, qa

Status Labels: - blocked, ready-for-dev, needs-review, waiting-on-qa

Technology Labels: - react, flutter, python, node, postgres, redis

Integration with Development Tools GitHub Integration Use Linear's suggested git branch names Reference Linear issues in commit messages: "CET-123: Add feature" PRs automatically link to Linear issues PR status updates Linear issue status Merge events can auto-complete issues CI/CD Integration Post test results as comments on Linear issues Update issues on deploy events Link deployment URLs in issue comments Track deployment status per issue Slack Integration Get notifications for assigned issues Update Linear from Slack Share issue links in team channels Daily standup reminders with your issues Common Workflows for Application Types Frontend Application Development 1. Design → Development workflow: - Create issue from design handoff - labels: ["frontend", "ui", "design-ready"] - Link to Figma/design files - Break into component-level issues

1. Component development:

2. Parent: "User Profile Page" ├─ "ProfileHeader component" ├─ "ProfileStats component" ├─ "ProfileSettings component" └─ "Profile routing and layout"

3. Integration and testing:

4. Create issues for:
   • Integration testing
   • Accessibility audit
   • Performance optimization
   • Browser compatibility testing

Full-Stack Application Development 1. Feature planning: - Parent issue: "Payment Processing Feature" - Children: - Database schema design - API endpoint implementation - Frontend payment form - Payment provider integration - Error handling and logging - Testing (unit, integration, E2E)

1. Parallel development:
2. Backend team: API and database
3. Frontend team: UI components (mocked API)
4. Coordinate through Linear comments

5. Track blockers and dependencies

6. Integration phase:

7. Create integration testing issue
8. Link all related issues
9. Coordinate deployment

Mobile Application Development 1. Platform-specific tracking: - labels: ["ios", "android", "shared"] - Track platform-specific bugs separately - Share code issues labeled "shared"

1. Release management:
2. Project per release: "iOS v2.1.0"
3. Issues per feature/fix in release
4. Track App Store/Play Store submissions

5. Link to release notes

6. Testing workflow:

7. Device testing: Track per device type
8. OS version compatibility
9. Performance on different hardware
10. Beta testing feedback

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Issue not appearing in filters

Check if archived: Set includeArchived: true Verify team name/ID is correct Check status matches expected state

Cannot create issue

Ensure team parameter is provided (required) Verify label names exist if using labels Check project name/ID is valid Ensure assignee exists in workspace

Cannot update issue

Verify issue ID is correct (use get_issue first) Check you have permission to modify issue Ensure state name is valid (use list_issue_statuses) Verify label names exist

Projects not loading

Check includeArchived setting Verify team filter is correct Try without filters to see all projects Advanced Usage Automated Project Setup

Create a complete project structure programmatically:

1. Create project
2. Create label set for project
3. Create epic issues (parent issues)
4. Create sub-issues for each epic
5. Assign issues to team members
6. Organize into first cycle
7. Generate project documentation

Metrics and Reporting

Track development metrics:

// Velocity tracking - Issues completed per cycle - Average time to complete - Blockers frequency

// Quality metrics - Bug rate per feature - Time to fix bugs - Reopened issues

// Team metrics - Issues per team member - Workload balance - Completion rates

Custom Workflows

Design workflows matching your process:

// Example: Feature flag workflow States: 1. Backlog (unstarted) 2. Ready for Dev (unstarted) 3. In Development (started) 4. In Review (started) 5. In QA (started) 6. Deployed with Flag (started) 7. Flag Enabled (started) 8. Monitoring (started) 9. Flag Removed (completed) 10. Done (completed)

Quick Reference Essential Shortcuts My active work: assignee: "me", state: "In Progress"

Team backlog: team: "{team-name}", state: "Backlog", orderBy: "updatedAt"

High priority issues: priority: 2, state: "Todo", orderBy: "createdAt"

Recently updated: orderBy: "updatedAt", limit: 20

Bugs needing triage: label: "bug", state: "Backlog", orderBy: "createdAt"

Issue Creation Template title: "[TYPE] Clear, actionable title" description: | ## Overview

## Tasks - [ ] Task 1 - [ ] Task 2

## Acceptance Criteria - Criterion 1 - Criterion 2 team: "{team-name}" assignee: "me" labels: ["{type}", "{area}", "{priority}"] project: "{project-name}" priority: 3

Resources Linear Documentation: https://linear.app/docs Linear API Reference: https://developers.linear.app/docs Linear Blog: https://linear.app/blog GitHub Integration Guide: https://linear.app/docs/github Linear Keyboard Shortcuts: linear.app/shortcuts

Skill Version: 1.0.0 Last Updated: October 2025 Skill Category: Project Management, Development Acceleration, Team Collaboration Compatible With: Linear MCP Server, GitHub, CI/CD pipelines