Linear Issues MCP Server

MCP server for Linear issues read-only access

Local serverstdio

What is the Linear Issues MCP server?

Linear Issues becomes available to MCP clients through the linear issues mcp server. MCP server for Linear issues read-only access.

What Linear Issues does

This is a simple MCP (Model Context Protocol) server that provides read-only access to Linear issues. It allows language models to fetch Linear issues and their associated data using a Linear API token.

Key capabilities

  • linear_get_issue: Fetches basic details about a Linear issue by URL or identifier
  • linear_get_issue_with_comments: Fetches complete information about a Linear issue including all comments

Tools it exposes

Once connected, the assistant can call these 3 tools directly:

  • MacOS — ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
  • Linux — ~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
  • Windows — %AppData%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

Installing the linear issues mcp server

Setup follows the standard MCP pattern: clone or install the server, then register it in your client's configuration file and restart the client. The configuration snippets on this page cover Claude Desktop, Claude Code and Cursor.

Configuration

Before the server will start you need to supply one environment variable: LINEAR_API_TOKEN. Keep credentials in your client's env block or a secrets manager rather than committing them.

Requirements

  • Node.js - A Linear API token or OAuth access token

Where it fits

Productivity servers pay off through capture: the tasks and notes that never get filed are the ones where opening the app is more friction than the thought is worth. Linear Issues sits in that group, and the shape of its toolset — MacOS, Linux, Windows — tells you what it is really for. Worth comparing against the other productivity servers in this directory before you commit to one, since several overlap in scope but differ sharply in setup cost and permissions.

Practical notes

  • This server runs locally, so it operates with whatever access your machine and its credentials already have. Scope that deliberately rather than by default.
  • It will not start until its required credentials are present, so set those before wondering why the tools never appear.
  • Maintained by keegancsmith.
  • MCP clients ask for confirmation before each tool call by default. Keep that on while you learn what the linear issues mcp server actually does with your data.
  • Every entry in this directory is reviewed by hand before it goes live, and details are checked against the project's own documentation.

Available tools

ToolWhat it does
MacOS~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
Linux~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
Windows%AppData%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

How to install the Linear Issues MCP server

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "linear-issues": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@keegancsmith/linear-issues-mcp-server"],
      "env": {
        "LINEAR_API_TOKEN": "your_linear_api_token_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Configuration as documented by the project. Restart the client after saving.

Configuration

  • Node.js - A Linear API token or OAuth access token
VariableDescriptionRequired
LINEAR_API_TOKENCredential the server authenticates with.Yes

Example prompts to try

  • Use Linear Issues to MacOS.
  • Use Linear Issues to Linux.
  • Use Linear Issues to Windows.

Frequently asked questions

It connects Linear Issues to MCP-compatible AI assistants such as Claude and Cursor, exposing 3 tools (MacOS, Linux, Windows) that the assistant can call on your behalf. Instead of copying data back and forth by hand, the assistant works with Linear Issues directly.