What is Linear? A complete guide to features, pricing, and use cases

Linear is a project management tool built specifically for software teams. It combines issue tracking, sprint planning, and product roadmaps in a fast, keyboard-driven workspace that product and engineering teams use to move work from idea to shipped. This guide covers what Linear is, how it works, what it costs, and how it compares to Jira. If you're already using Linear and want to connect it to the rest of your tools, we'll also show you how IFTTT links Linear to GitHub, Google Calendar, Trello, and more, so issues flow between your tools automatically.

IFTTT is an automation platform that connects over 1000 apps and services. Instead of manually creating issues from GitHub bugs or syncing Linear deadlines to your calendar, you build the connection once and it runs on its own.

What is Linear?

Linear is a purpose-built issue tracking and project management tool for product and engineering teams. It brings issue tracking, project planning, cycles (sprints), and roadmaps together in a single workspace designed to be fast, clean, and keyboard-first. Teams use it to capture work as issues, organize those issues into projects and cycles, and track progress from backlog to shipped.

Linear launched in 2019 and quickly built a reputation among software teams for its speed and minimal interface. Where tools like Jira lean toward configurability and enterprise feature depth, Linear prioritizes opinionated defaults and a workflow that gets out of your way. The app loads instantly, responds to keyboard shortcuts for nearly every action, and keeps the interface free of the complexity that tends to accumulate in older project management tools.

It's used by product and engineering teams at companies including Vercel, Ramp, Retool, Loom, and Mercury, and has become a common choice for startups and growth-stage tech companies that want a modern alternative to Jira.

What is Linear used for?

Bug tracking is one of the most common starting points. Engineers file issues for bugs they encounter or that come in from support, set priorities, and track them through a workflow from reported to fixed to deployed.

Sprint planning is handled through Cycles, Linear's version of sprints. Teams pull issues into a cycle for a defined time period, set scope, and track progress as work moves through states. Cycle analytics show completion rates and carry-over at a glance.

Feature development is tracked through Projects, which group related issues together under a shared goal. A project might represent a new feature, a refactor, or a product launch, with individual issues representing the discrete pieces of work needed to get there.

Product roadmaps give leadership and cross-functional stakeholders a view into what's planned, in progress, and shipped across teams, without exposing the full detail of the issue backlog.

Engineering team coordination across multiple sub-teams is managed through Linear's Teams structure, where each team has its own workflow states, backlogs, and settings while sharing a unified workspace.

Incident and on-call tracking is used by some teams to file and manage incidents alongside their regular product work, keeping operational issues in the same tool as engineering work rather than siloed in a separate system.

How does Linear work?

Linear is organized around issues, which are the fundamental unit of work. An issue has a title, description, status, priority, assignee, due date, and labels. Everything else in Linear is a way of organizing, filtering, and acting on issues.

Workflow states define the stages an issue moves through from creation to completion. Each team can configure their own states, though Linear ships with sensible defaults: Backlog, Todo, In Progress, In Review, Done, and Cancelled. Issues move between states manually or through automation rules.

Projects group related issues under a shared goal with a target date and a status. A project gives context to why a set of issues exists and how they relate to a larger objective, without requiring a separate project management tool alongside your issue tracker.

Cycles are fixed time periods, typically one or two weeks, where a team commits to a defined set of issues. At the start of a cycle, you pull issues from the backlog. At the end, Linear shows you what was completed and what carried over to the next cycle.

Roadmaps are a higher-level view that lets you plot projects on a timeline, giving product managers and stakeholders a sense of what's planned across quarters without needing to dig into individual issue backlogs.

Keyboard shortcuts cover nearly every action in Linear, from creating an issue (C) to changing its status, priority, or assignee. The app is designed to be navigable without a mouse, which makes it notably faster to use once you're familiar with the shortcuts.

Git integrations with GitHub and GitLab let teams link branches, commits, and pull requests to Linear issues. When a PR is merged, the linked issue can move to a new status automatically, keeping the issue tracker in sync with actual code changes.

Linear pricing

Linear offers a free plan suitable for small teams getting started, with paid plans that add more storage, advanced features, and admin controls as teams grow.

Pricing is approximate — check linear.app/pricing for current rates.

The free plan is genuinely useful for small teams evaluating Linear before committing. Basic is the most common starting point for growing engineering teams, unlocking unlimited issues and the full integration set.

Linear vs. Jira

Jira is the most widely used issue tracker in enterprise software development and the most common alternative teams evaluate when considering Linear. Both handle issue tracking, sprint planning, and workflow management, but they take very different approaches.

Linear is the stronger choice for teams that want a fast, clean experience with sensible defaults and don't need the deep customization that Jira provides. Jira is better suited to large enterprises with complex workflows, multiple teams with different processes, and a need for advanced reporting. Both Linear and Jira have IFTTT integrations, so either can be connected to the rest of your stack through automation.

What are Linear's limitations?

Linear is built for software teams, which makes it a poor fit for non-engineering use cases. Marketing, HR, and operations teams that want a general-purpose project management tool will find Linear's issue-centric model limiting compared to tools like Asana or Notion.

Customization is intentionally restricted. Linear ships with opinionated defaults and limits how much you can change workflow states, fields, and views compared to Jira. Teams with unusual processes or complex approval workflows may find they can't configure Linear to match how they actually work.

The free plan limits you to 250 issues per team, which can be hit quickly by active teams. Once you exceed the limit, you'll need to upgrade or archive old issues to stay under it.

Reporting and analytics are more limited than Jira or dedicated project management tools. Linear gives you cycle analytics and basic progress views, but teams that need detailed time tracking, resource planning, or executive reporting dashboards will need to supplement with other tools.

The mobile apps are less full-featured than the web and desktop versions. Core actions are available on mobile, but the keyboard-driven workflow that makes Linear fast on desktop doesn't translate as well to a phone screen.

Linear doesn't include native document creation for specs, meeting notes, or product briefs. Teams that want to write and track work in the same tool typically pair Linear with a separate docs tool like Notion or Confluence.

How IFTTT works with Linear

Linear tracks every issue in your product and engineering workflow. IFTTT connects that activity to the other tools your team uses, syncing issues with GitHub, keeping your calendar aligned with deadlines, and letting you create issues from email or spreadsheet data without switching tools.

IFTTT's Linear integration includes 8 triggers, queries, and actions, including triggers like new issue created and issue due date approaching, and actions like create an issue and update an issue.

Sync Linear with GitHub

Keep Linear and GitHub in sync in both directions. When a new GitHub issue is opened, IFTTT can create the corresponding Linear issue automatically. When a new Linear issue is created, IFTTT can open a matching GitHub issue so both trackers stay current without manual duplication.

Keep your calendar and Linear in sync

Turn Google Calendar events into Linear issues automatically, or have IFTTT create a calendar event when a Linear issue's due date is approaching. Useful for teams that plan work in their calendar and want those sessions reflected in their issue tracker, or for anyone who needs deadline reminders surfaced outside of Linear.

Bridge Linear and Trello

For teams that use both Trello and Linear, IFTTT keeps them in sync. A card added to a Trello list can create a Linear issue automatically, and a new Linear issue can create a Trello card so both boards reflect the same work.

Popular Linear service pairs

GitHub to Linear

Keep your GitHub issues and Linear issues in sync automatically. Useful for engineering teams that use GitHub for code review and Linear for project tracking, and want the two to stay aligned without manual duplication.

• - Create a Linear issue every time a new GitHub issue is opened
• - Create a GitHub issue for every new Linear issue in a team
• - Mirror your issue trackers across both platforms

Set up GitHub → Linear

Google Calendar to Linear

Turn calendar events into Linear issues and surface Linear deadlines in your calendar. Useful for teams that plan work in Google Calendar and want that planning reflected in their Linear backlog, or for individuals who rely on their calendar for deadline reminders.

• - Create Linear issues from new Google Calendar events
• - Add a calendar event when a Linear issue due date is approaching
• - Keep your schedule and your issue tracker aligned

Set up Google Calendar → Linear

Trello to Linear

Bridge Trello boards and Linear teams for teams running both tools. Useful for organizations migrating from Trello to Linear, or for teams that coordinate with stakeholders who use Trello while engineers work in Linear.

• - Create a Linear issue when a card is added to a Trello list
• - Create a Trello card for every new Linear issue
• - Keep both boards in sync without manual copying

Set up Trello → Linear

Google Sheets to Linear

Turn spreadsheet rows into Linear issues. Useful for teams that collect bug reports, feature requests, or task lists in a shared Google Sheet and want those items to flow into Linear automatically without a manual import.

• - Create Linear issues from new rows added to a Google Sheet
• - Route spreadsheet data directly into your engineering backlog
• - Use a shared sheet as a lightweight intake form for Linear

Set up Google Sheets → Linear

How to automate Linear with IFTTT

Getting started with Linear automation on IFTTT takes a few minutes. Here's how it works:

1. Connect your Linear account: Go to ifttt.com/linear and click "Connect." You'll authorize IFTTT through your Linear account using OAuth, so no API key is required.

2. Choose a trigger or action: Decide what should start the automation and what should happen as a result. Linear has five triggers on IFTTT, including new issue created, issue status updated, and issue due date approaching. Actions let you create a new issue or update an existing issue's status, assignee, or priority.

3. Set up your Applet: Browse the existing Linear Applets on IFTTT or build your own from scratch. Select your trigger, connect any additional services like GitHub, Google Calendar, or Trello, customize the details, and turn it on.

8 more ways to automate your engineering workflow

If you're already connecting Linear with IFTTT, these Applets extend automation across the rest of your development and project management stack. GitHub and Trello are two of the most commonly used tools alongside Linear for code tracking and team coordination.

Services similar to Linear

Linear isn't the only project management and issue tracking tool you can connect with IFTTT. If your team tracks work through a different platform, these alternatives work too.

Linear and IFTTT: better together

Linear keeps your engineering team's work organized and moving. IFTTT makes sure that work connects to the other tools in your stack, syncing issues with GitHub, surfacing deadlines in your calendar, and routing new tasks from wherever they originate into the right Linear team automatically.

Ready to connect Linear to your workflow? Get started on IFTTT today, no code required.

Frequently asked questions about Linear

Is Linear only for software teams?

Linear is built primarily for product and engineering teams and works best in that context. Its issue-centric model, Git integrations, and cycle-based sprint planning are tailored to how software teams work. Non-engineering teams can use it for general task management, but teams that need resource planning, time tracking, or process-heavy workflows tend to find tools like Asana or Monday.com a better fit.

How does Linear compare to Notion for project management?

Linear and Notion serve different purposes. Linear is a dedicated issue tracker optimized for speed and engineering workflows, with features like Git sync, cycle analytics, and workflow automations built around software development. Notion is a flexible workspace for docs, databases, and notes that can be configured into a project management tool. Many teams use both together: Notion for specs and documentation, Linear for the actual issue and sprint tracking.

Does Linear have a mobile app?

Yes. Linear has apps for iOS and Android that cover core functionality including viewing and creating issues, updating statuses, and checking your assigned work. The mobile experience is functional, though the keyboard-driven workflow that makes Linear fast on desktop is less prominent on mobile. The web app accessed through a mobile browser is also a viable option for teams that prefer a browser-based interface.

Can non-engineers use Linear?

Yes, though it's designed with engineers in mind. Product managers use Linear extensively for roadmap planning, cycle management, and working alongside engineering. Designers also use it for tracking design tasks. The learning curve is low enough that non-technical teammates can participate in Linear without difficulty, but the tool's features and defaults are most fully utilized by people working on software development directly.

Does Linear integrate with Slack?

Yes. Linear has a native Slack integration that can notify a Slack channel when issues are created, updated, or change status. You can also create Linear issues directly from Slack messages using the slash command. This native integration handles most team notification use cases without needing IFTTT, though IFTTT extends what's possible by connecting Linear to tools beyond Slack.

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