Linear

The Linear connector lets AI agents manage engineering issues, update statuses, triage backlogs, and add comments — all through the Linear GraphQL API using OAuth 2.0. Your credentials are stored encrypted in MCPGate's vault and are never exposed to the AI client.

Tool reference#

The Linear connector exposes 8 tools: 5 read and 3 write.

ToolCategoryDescription
linear_list_issuesreadList issues with filters
linear_get_issuereadGet issue details
linear_list_projectsreadList projects
linear_search_issuesreadSearch issues
linear_list_teamsreadList teams
linear_create_issuewriteCreate a new issue
linear_update_issuewriteUpdate issue (status, assignee, priority)
linear_add_commentwriteAdd comment to an issue

Common guardrail recipes#

Read-only access#

Enable only linear_list_issues, linear_get_issue, linear_list_projects, linear_search_issues, and linear_list_teams. Deny all write tools. Useful for agents that report on issue status or sprint progress without modifying anything.

Restrict to a specific team#

Apply the allow_values template to linear_create_issue and target the team_id field. This prevents the AI from creating issues in teams it should not have access to.

Comment-only write access#

Enable only linear_add_comment from the write tools, while denying linear_create_issue and linear_update_issue. This allows an AI assistant to annotate existing issues without creating or changing them.

Troubleshooting#

  • Issue not found — Linear issue IDs are UUIDs. Ensure the AI is passing the full UUID string, not a human-readable issue identifier like ENG-123. Use linear_search_issues first to resolve the UUID.
  • Status transition rejected— Linear workflows may require issues to move through specific states in order. Check the team's workflow configuration if linear_update_issue returns a state error.
  • OAuth token expired — Linear OAuth tokens expire. Reconnect the Linear connector in MCPGate if tool calls start returning 401 errors.