# Linear — connector pack

Access options in preference order. Probe each in order; use the first that answers. Research of record: `discussions/code-analysis-tools/research-tracker-connectors/03-linear.md` (2026-08-19).

## Option 1 — the official Linear MCP server

Probe: a `linear`/`linear-server` entry in `.mcp.json` / Linear MCP tools visible in-session.
Setup: `claude mcp add --transport http linear-server https://mcp.linear.app/mcp`, then `/mcp` for OAuth 2.1. A **read-only endpoint exists**: `https://mcp.linear.app/mcp/readonly` — prefer it for triage-only sessions. Direct bearer also works (`Authorization: Bearer <token>` — OAuth token or a Linear personal API key; a Read-only API key gives enforced read-only).
**Tool names are unpublished by Linear** — introspect the live tool list before planning calls; expect find/create/update tools over issues, projects, comments.

## Option 2 — community MCP servers

`tacticlaunch/mcp-linear` (146★, MIT — the exhaustive option, 150+ `linear_*` tools, TOOLS.md published) or `prime-radiant-inc/streamlinear` (89★, MIT — the token-efficient option: one dispatch tool `action: search|get|update|comment|create|graphql|help`, ~500 schema tokens; auth `LINEAR_API_TOKEN`).

## Option 3 — CLI

`@schpet/linear-cli` (binary `linear`, 911★, actively maintained; Linear's own npm CLIs are abandoned — do not use `@linear/cli`). Probe: `linear --version`. Install: `brew install schpet/tap/linear`. Branch-aware issue detection, list/start/create, PR text generation.

## Option 4 — GraphQL fallback

Endpoint `https://api.linear.app/graphql`. **Auth header for a personal API key is `Authorization: <API_KEY>` — no `Bearer` prefix** (Bearer is only for OAuth tokens). Introspection-verified surface:
- Read: `{ issue(id: "ENG-123") { id title description state { name } labels { nodes { name } } comments { nodes { body } } } }`
- Search: `{ issues(first: 25, filter: {title: {contains: "…"}}) { edges { node { id identifier title } } pageInfo { hasNextPage endCursor } } }` (Relay cursors; also `issueSearch`/`searchIssues`)
- Create (approval-gated): `mutation { issueCreate(input: {title: "…", teamId: "<uuid>", description: "…", labelIds: […]}) { success issue { id identifier url } } }`
- Comment (approval-gated): `mutation { commentCreate(input: {issueId: "<uuid>", body: "…"}) { success comment { id } } }`
Rate limits: API key 2,500 req/hr + complexity budget (single request cap 10,000 points — keep `first:` small on nested connections); watch `X-RateLimit-*`/`X-Complexity` headers.

## Composing for Linear — including Linear's own agent rules

Linear publishes **Agent Interaction Guidelines** (linear.app/developers/aig); this pack adopts the two that bind writers even outside formal Agent Sessions:
- **You are a `delegate`, never an `assignee`** — humans keep ownership of issues you touch.
- **Never move work to a terminal state** — done/canceled transitions belong to humans (the same rule the linear-use community plugin hard-codes). Starting work maps to the team's lowest-position "started" state, and only when instructed.
Body is native markdown. Pick team and project explicitly — never guess a team. Priority conservatively (default: none). Cycles and estimates stay human.

## Ecosystem notes (2026-08-19)

The strongest community skill (`wrsmith108/linear-claude-skill`, 121★) itself recommends the official MCP server — aligned with this pack's ordering. No official Anthropic Linear skill exists.