Skip to main content Project and cycle management workflows with Linear.
Use when implementing sprint planning, managing projects and roadmaps,
or organizing work into cycles.
Trigger with phrases like "linear project", "linear cycle", "linear sprint",
"linear roadmap", "linear planning", "organize linear work".
npx skills add jeremylongshore/claude-code-plugins-plus-skills --skill linear-core-workflow-b ai automation claude-code devops mcp ai-agents
Linear Core Workflow B: Projects & Cycles
Overview
Manage projects, cycles (sprints), milestones, and roadmaps using the Linear API. Projects group issues across teams with states (planned, started, paused, completed, canceled), target dates, and progress tracking. Cycles are time-boxed iterations (sprints) owned by a single team. Initiatives group projects at the organizational level.
Prerequisites
Linear SDK configured with API key or OAuth token
Understanding of Linear's hierarchy: Organization > Team > Cycle/Project > Issue
Team access with project create permissions
Instructions
Step 1: Project CRUD
import { LinearClient } from "@linear/sdk";
const client = new LinearClient({ apiKey: process.env.LINEAR_API_KEY! });
// List projects (optionally filter by team)
const projects = await client.projects({
filter: {
accessibleTeams: { some: { key: { eq: "ENG" } } },
state: { nin: ["completed", "canceled"] },
},
orderBy: "updatedAt",
first: 20,
});
for (const project of projects.nodes) {
console.log(`${project.name} [${project.state}] — progress: ${Math.round(project.progress * 100)}%`);
}
// Create a project
const teams = await client.teams();
const eng = teams.nodes.find(t => t.key === "ENG")!;
const projectResult = await client.createProject({
name: "Authentication Overhaul",
description: "Modernize auth infrastructure with OAuth 2.0 + MFA.",
teamIds: [eng.id],
state: "planned",
targetDate: "2026-06-30",
});
const project = await projectResult.project;
console.log(`Created project: ${project?.name} (${project?.id})`);
// Update project
await client.updateProject(project!.id, {
state: "started",
description: "Updated scope: includes SSO integration.",
});
// Get project by slug
const found = await client.projects({
filter: { slugId: { eq: "auth-overhaul" } },
});
Step 2: Project Milestones // Create milestones for a project
await client.createProjectMilestone({
projectId: project!.id,
name: "OAuth 2.0 Implementation",
targetDate: "2026-04-15",
});
await client.createProjectMilestone({
projectId: project!.id,
name: "MFA Rollout",
targetDate: "2026-05-30",
});
// List milestones
const milestones = await project!.projectMilestones();
for (const ms of milestones.nodes) {
console.log(` Milestone: ${ms.name} — target: ${ms.targetDate}`);
}
Step 3: Assign Issues to Projects // Create issue directly in a project
await client.createIssue({
teamId: eng.id,
title: "Implement OAuth 2.0 login flow",
projectId: project!.id,
priority: 2,
});
// Move existing issue to project
await client.updateIssue("existing-issue-id", {
projectId: project!.id,
});
// Get all issues in a project
const projectIssues = await project!.issues({ first: 100 });
for (const issue of projectIssues.nodes) {
const state = await issue.state;
console.log(` ${issue.identifier}: ${issue.title} [${state?.name}]`);
}
Step 4: Cycle (Sprint) Management // Get current and upcoming cycles for a team
const now = new Date().toISOString();
const cycles = await eng.cycles({
filter: { endsAt: { gte: now } },
orderBy: "startsAt",
});
for (const cycle of cycles.nodes) {
console.log(`${cycle.name ?? "Unnamed"}: ${cycle.startsAt} → ${cycle.endsAt}`);
}
// Create a new 2-week cycle
const startsAt = new Date();
const endsAt = new Date();
endsAt.setDate(endsAt.getDate() + 14);
const cycleResult = await client.createCycle({
teamId: eng.id,
name: "Sprint 42",
startsAt: startsAt.toISOString(),
endsAt: endsAt.toISOString(),
});
const cycle = await cycleResult.cycle;
console.log(`Created cycle: ${cycle?.name}`);
// Add issues to cycle
const issueIds = ["issue-id-1", "issue-id-2", "issue-id-3"];
for (const issueId of issueIds) {
await client.updateIssue(issueId, { cycleId: cycle!.id });
}
Step 5: Cycle Metrics async function getCycleMetrics(cycleId: string) {
const cycle = await client.cycle(cycleId);
const issues = await cycle.issues();
const byState = new Map<string, number>();
let totalEstimate = 0;
let completedEstimate = 0;
for (const issue of issues.nodes) {
const state = await issue.state;
const name = state?.name ?? "Unknown";
byState.set(name, (byState.get(name) ?? 0) + 1);
totalEstimate += issue.estimate ?? 0;
if (state?.type === "completed") {
completedEstimate += issue.estimate ?? 0;
}
}
return {
totalIssues: issues.nodes.length,
stateBreakdown: Object.fromEntries(byState),
totalPoints: totalEstimate,
completedPoints: completedEstimate,
burndown: totalEstimate ? Math.round((completedEstimate / totalEstimate) * 100) : 0,
};
}
const metrics = await getCycleMetrics(cycle!.id);
console.log(`Sprint progress: ${metrics.burndown}% (${metrics.completedPoints}/${metrics.totalPoints} pts)`);
Step 6: Sprint Rollover async function rolloverCycle(fromCycleId: string, toCycleId: string) {
const fromCycle = await client.cycle(fromCycleId);
const unfinished = await fromCycle.issues({
filter: { state: { type: { nin: ["completed", "canceled"] } } },
});
let moved = 0;
for (const issue of unfinished.nodes) {
await client.updateIssue(issue.id, { cycleId: toCycleId });
moved++;
}
console.log(`Rolled over ${moved} unfinished issues`);
return moved;
}
Step 7: Team Velocity async function calculateVelocity(teamKey: string, sprintCount = 3) {
const teams = await client.teams({ filter: { key: { eq: teamKey } } });
const team = teams.nodes[0];
// Get completed cycles
const cycles = await team.cycles({
filter: { completedAt: { neq: null } },
orderBy: "completedAt",
first: sprintCount,
});
const velocities = await Promise.all(
cycles.nodes.map(async (cycle) => {
const completed = await cycle.issues({
filter: { state: { type: { eq: "completed" } } },
});
return completed.nodes.reduce((sum, i) => sum + (i.estimate ?? 0), 0);
})
);
const avg = velocities.reduce((a, b) => a + b, 0) / velocities.length;
return { velocities, average: Math.round(avg * 10) / 10 };
}
const velocity = await calculateVelocity("ENG");
console.log(`Average velocity: ${velocity.average} pts/sprint`);
Step 8: Roadmap View async function getRoadmap(monthsAhead = 6) {
const futureDate = new Date();
futureDate.setMonth(futureDate.getMonth() + monthsAhead);
const projects = await client.projects({
filter: {
state: { nin: ["completed", "canceled"] },
targetDate: { lte: futureDate.toISOString() },
},
orderBy: "targetDate",
});
return projects.nodes.map(p => ({
name: p.name,
state: p.state,
progress: `${Math.round(p.progress * 100)}%`,
targetDate: p.targetDate,
}));
}
const roadmap = await getRoadmap();
console.table(roadmap);
Error Handling Error Cause Solution Project not foundInvalid project ID or deleted Verify ID with client.projects() Cycle dates overlapDates conflict with existing cycle Check existing cycles: team.cycles() Permission deniedNo project access Verify team membership Invalid date rangeendsAt before startsAtValidate date ordering before API call Team not in projectIssue team not in project's team list Add team via updateProject first
Examples
Sprint Planning Flow async function planSprint(teamKey: string, durationDays: number, issueIds: string[]) {
const teams = await client.teams({ filter: { key: { eq: teamKey } } });
const team = teams.nodes[0];
const startsAt = new Date();
const endsAt = new Date();
endsAt.setDate(endsAt.getDate() + durationDays);
const cycleResult = await client.createCycle({
teamId: team.id,
name: `Sprint ${new Date().toISOString().slice(0, 10)}`,
startsAt: startsAt.toISOString(),
endsAt: endsAt.toISOString(),
});
const cycle = await cycleResult.cycle;
for (const id of issueIds) {
await client.updateIssue(id, { cycleId: cycle!.id });
}
console.log(`Sprint created: ${cycle?.name} (${issueIds.length} issues)`);
return cycle;
}
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