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Linear: one place for every task

⏱ 20 min6 steps

Ideas, bugs, "I should…" and "remind me to…" pile up fast once you're building. is one place for every task, for every project.

The habit that makes it work, from my own projects: every problem becomes one , and it stays open until a real fix is seen working. Not when the fix is made. When it's proven.

If doesn't see Linear the first time, you're not alone. There's a fix under that step.

Linear A website for keeping track of tasks and problems, one issue each, so nothing lives only in your head. All wordsissue One task or one problem in Linear, with a title, the details, and whether it's open or done. All wordsClaude Code Claude, working inside Terminal. It can make files and run things on your Mac, with a safety checker watching what it does. All words

Before this, you'll want:

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  1. Make a Linear account and your first project

    1. Go to linear.app and sign up. Use Continue with Google with the Google you protected in Security basics, or sign up with your email. Linear sends you a link or a code instead of a password.
    2. Make one project, named after the idea you've been working on.
    account A sign-in with a company, like a domain, email or hosting. Whoever owns the account controls what's in it. All words
    That's not what I see
    It asks me to invite my team.
    Skip it. A team of one is fine. You can invite people later.

  2. Connect Linear to Claude

    Linear connects the way Google Calendar did in Connect Claude to your tools. The difference: Claude needs to act here, because it creates issues for you.

    1. Go to claude.ai/customize/connectors. In the Claude desktop app, click Customize, then .
    2. Click Discover, type Linear in Search connectors, click it and click Connect.
    3. to Linear and what Claude asks for.
    4. Click Linear under Your connectors. Under Tool permissions, choose Blocked for anything that deletes.
    connector A link between Claude and another app or service, like Google Calendar or Linear, so Claude can read from it or work in it. All wordssign in Tell Claude Code which Claude account is yours, so it knows you've paid for it. All wordsapprove Say yes when Claude Code asks before it changes something. In manual mode, nothing gets written until you do. All words

    You should see:

    Linear under Your connectors, marked Connected.

    That's not what I see
    I don't see Linear in the list of connectors.
    Click Discover and type Linear in Search connectors. If it still isn't there, check Linear's own help page on connecting to Claude for the current way.
    I don't see Tool permissions.
    Some plans don't show it. Claude asks before it uses Linear, so read each request. Allow creating and updating issues, and never allow anything that deletes.

  3. Start Claude Code in your my-idea folder

    1. Open (Cmd+SpaceWindows key, type Terminal, press Enter).

    2. Go to your my-idea . Type this and press Enter:

      cd ~/Backyard/my-idea

      cd ~\Backyard\my-idea

    3. Check the says my-idea.

    4. Start Claude Code. Type this and press Enter:

      claude
    Terminal An app on your Mac where you type instructions instead of clicking on things. Claude Code works inside it. All wordsfolder A place on your computer that holds files and other folders, like a drawer in a filing cabinet. All wordsprompt line The line in Terminal that ends with a % sign. The word right before the % is the folder you're in. All words

    You should see:

    Claude Code's name and version at the top, a line starting with ❯ where you type, and ⏵⏵ on in the bar at the bottom.

    auto mode Claude works without asking, and a separate safety checker blocks anything risky. All words
    That's not what I see
    It says "cd: no such file or directoryCannot find path … because it does not exist".
    The my-idea folder isn't there. It comes from Check the idea first, so do that piece first, then come back.
    It says "zsh: command not found: claudeThe term 'claude' is not recognized".
    This Terminal window doesn't know about Claude Code. Close the window with Cmd+WCtrl+Shift+W, open a new one and try again. If it still says that, go back to Claude Code and sign in.install Put a new program on your computer so you can use it. All words

  4. Check Claude Code can see Linear

    Once Linear is connected in the , Claude Code sees it too, when you're signed in with your Claude account.

    1. Type this and press Enter:

      /mcp

    2. Look for claude.ai Linear in the list.

    3. Press Esc to close the list.

    Claude app Claude on your phone or computer, where you chat with it by typing. claude.ai is the same thing in a web browser. All words

    You should see:

    A claude.ai section in the list, with a line for claude.ai Linear that starts with a check mark.

    That's not what I see
    Claude Code doesn't see Linear after I connected it.
    Press Esc, type and start claude again. Then type /mcp and press Enter. Connectors you add at claude.ai show up there when you're signed in with your Claude account./exit Typed in Claude Code, it ends the conversation and takes you back to Terminal. All words

  5. Move your open problems into Linear

    Agents can file issues there too, so when something breaks overnight, it's waiting for you in the morning. This has Claude turn your status.md list into Linear issues, and show you the list first. Your Linear project's name goes at the end.

    1. Copy the prompt below.
    Read status.md. For each item under Open problems, create one Linear issue in the Linear project I name at the end, with a plain title, what's wrong, what I saw, and how we'll know it's fixed. Show me the list of issues before you create them. Don't close or change any existing issues. The Linear project:

    1. Paste it into Claude Code with Cmd+VCtrl+V.

    2. Type a space, then your Linear project's name, like my-idea.

    3. Press Enter, and read the list.

    4. If it's right, tell Claude to go ahead. Type this and press Enter:

      Looks right. Create them.
    prompt What you type to Claude. A good one says what you want, how to work and what never to do. All words

    You should see:

    Claude shows you the list of issues before it creates anything.

    That's not what I see
    Claude made duplicates of issues that were already there.
    Ask it to list the duplicates, check them yourself, and then close the extra ones. Add a line to : Search Linear for an existing issue before creating a new one.CLAUDE.md A note to Claude about how to work in this project. Claude Code reads it at the start of every session in that folder. All words

  6. Close an issue only when you've seen the fix work

    When Claude fixes something, the issue stays open until you've seen it work, often the next morning.

    1. Leave the issue open when Claude says it's fixed.
    2. Check the fix yourself, the way the people it's for would.
    3. Close the issue in Linear, with a short note of what you saw.

    That's Prove it, don't believe it, in a place you'll never lose it.

    That's not what I see
    Claude closed an issue as soon as it made the fix.
    Reopen it. Add a line to CLAUDE.md: Never close a Linear issue until I've seen the fix work. Say what you have.proof Something you or Claude actually saw, like the page loading or the line in the result. Not "it should work". All words
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Your challenge

For one week, every time something breaks or you think "I should…", put it in Linear instead of your head. At the end of the week, close only the issues you've seen fixed.

Last checked 2026-10-20

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