Linear

Overview

This skill provides a structured workflow for managing issues, projects & team workflows in Linear. It assumes the bundled Linear app is connected so the Linear tools are available for issues, projects, documentation, and team collaboration.

Prerequisites

• Linear tools must be connected and accessible via OAuth
• Confirm access to the relevant Linear workspace, teams, and projects

Required Workflow

Follow these steps in order. Do not skip steps.

Step 0: Connect the Linear app (if not already configured)

If Linear tools are unavailable, pause and ask the user to connect the Linear app:

1. Enable the bundled Linear app for this plugin or session.
2. Complete the Linear auth flow if Codex prompts for it.
3. Restart Codex or the current session if the tools still do not appear.

After the app is connected, finish your answer and tell the user to retry so they can continue with Step 1.

Step 1

Clarify the user's goal and scope (e.g., issue triage, sprint planning, documentation audit, workload balance). Confirm team/project, priority, labels, cycle, and due dates as needed.

Step 2

Select the appropriate workflow (see Practical Workflows below) and identify the Linear tools you will need. Confirm required identifiers (issue ID, project ID, team key) before calling tools.

Step 3

Execute Linear tool calls in logical batches:

• Read first (list/get/search) to build context.
• Create or update next (issues, projects, labels, comments) with all required fields.
• For bulk operations, explain the grouping logic before applying changes.

Step 4

Summarize results, call out remaining gaps or blockers, and propose next actions (additional issues, label changes, assignments, or follow-up comments).

Available Tools

Issue Management: list_issues, get_issue, create_issue, update_issue, list_my_issues, list_issue_statuses, list_issue_labels, create_issue_label

Project & Team: list_projects, get_project, create_project, update_project, list_teams, get_team, list_users

Documentation & Collaboration: list_documents, get_document, search_documentation, list_comments, create_comment, list_cycles

Practical Workflows

• Sprint Planning: Review open issues for a target team, pick top items by priority, and create a new cycle (e.g., "Q1 Performance Sprint") with assignments.
• Bug Triage: List critical/high-priority bugs, rank by user impact, and move the top items to "In Progress."
• Documentation Audit: Search documentation (e.g., API auth), then open labeled "documentation" issues for gaps or outdated sections with detailed fixes.
• Team Workload Balance: Group active issues by assignee, flag anyone with high load, and suggest or apply redistributions.
• Release Planning: Create a project (e.g., "v2.0 Release") with milestones (feature freeze, beta, docs, launch) and generate issues with estimates.
• Cross-Project Dependencies: Find all "blocked" issues, identify blockers, and create linked issues if missing.
• Automated Status Updates: Find your issues with stale updates and add status comments based on current state/blockers.
• Smart Labeling: Analyze unlabeled issues, suggest/apply labels, and create missing label categories.
• Sprint Retrospectives: Generate a report for the last completed cycle, note completed vs. pushed work, and open discussion issues for patterns.

Tips for Maximum Productivity

• Batch operations for related changes; consider smart templates for recurring issue structures.
• Use natural queries when possible ("Show me what John is working on this week").
• Leverage context: reference prior issues in new requests.
• Break large updates into smaller batches to avoid rate limits; cache or reuse filters when listing frequently.

Troubleshooting

• Authentication: Clear browser cookies, re-run OAuth, verify workspace permissions, ensure API access is enabled.
• Tool Calling Errors: Confirm the model supports multiple tool calls, provide all required fields, and split complex requests.
• Missing Data: Refresh token, verify workspace access, check for archived projects, and confirm correct team selection.
• Performance: Remember Linear API rate limits; batch bulk operations, use specific filters, or cache frequent queries.