How to Use Linear

Linear is a fast, keyboard-first issue tracker built for software teams who want speed over deep customization.

Step 1: Create a workspace and team

Linear organizes work by Team — Engineering, Design, and so on — each with its own issue queue and settings.

Step 2: Create issues fast

The keyboard-first design lets you create an issue, assign it, set priority, and add labels without touching the mouse — press C to create one from anywhere.

Step 3: Use Cycles

Cycles are Linear's version of sprints, and unfinished issues automatically roll over into the next one, so nothing silently drops between sprints.

Step 4: Track with Projects

For work spanning multiple teams or cycles, Projects group related issues together and show a shared roadmap view above the individual-team level.

Step 5: Connect Git

Link a GitHub or GitLab pull request to an issue, via a magic branch name or a manual link, and Linear auto-updates the issue's status as the PR moves through review and merge.

Where it bites

Linear is deliberately opinionated and lighter on customization than something like Jira. Teams that want deeply custom workflows or fields sometimes hit its limits, since Linear trades flexibility for speed by design.