Linear is a lightweight issue tracker designed for developers who want speed and clarity. Indie Hackers use it to plan features, track bugs, and ship products faster. This guide walks you through every step—from initial setup to advanced patterns—so you can get the most out of Linear without wasting time.
Linear organizes work into three main objects: Issues, Projects, and Cycles. Issues represent tasks or bugs. Projects group related issues into a product area, like “Payments” or “Dashboard”. Cycles are time‑boxed sprints, usually two weeks long.
Key ideas:
Visit linear.app and click “Sign up”. Use your GitHub or Google account to skip password management. The free tier supports up to 5 users, unlimited issues, and basic integrations.
In the workspace settings, go to Members → Invite. Enter email addresses, assign the “Member” role, and send invites. For a solo indie project, you can skip this step.
Navigate to Settings → Integrations → GitHub. Click “Connect”, select the repository, and grant write access. Linear will automatically create branches named linear- when you start work.
Default statuses work for most teams, but you can add custom ones. Go to Settings → Workflow → Statuses and add “Review” between “In Progress” and “Done”. Keep the list under six items to avoid decision fatigue.
Create a template project called “Starter”. Add columns for “Backlog”, “Todo”, “In Progress”, “Review”, and “Done”. Save it as a template so new projects inherit the same structure.
Press c from anywhere to open the quick‑create modal. Fill in title, description, and select a project. Use # to tag teammates and @ to link other issues.
Drag issues in the backlog to reorder. Linear stores the order as a numeric “priority” field. The top‑most issue is considered highest priority. For data‑driven decisions, add a custom numeric field “Impact” and sort by Impact × Priority.
Click “New Cycle” in the top bar. Set start and end dates (default 14 days). Drag issues from Backlog into the Cycle column. Linear will warn you if total estimate exceeds the average velocity of the last three cycles.
When you start an issue, click “Start work”. Linear creates a branch linear‑123‑short‑title in GitHub. Commits referencing #123 automatically close the issue when merged.
Move the issue to “Review”. Use the “Merge” button in the Linear sidebar to open a pull request. After approval, drag the issue to “Done”. Linear records the cycle time automatically.
Create a “Roadmap” project with a “Timeline” view. Add epics as issues with the label “epic”. Use the “Start date” and “Due date” fields to plot them on a Gantt‑style chart. This lets you see how “Payments”, “Analytics”, and “Mobile” align over the next quarter.
Go to Settings → Custom fields. Add a numeric field “ARR impact” and a single‑select “Customer tier”. When prioritizing, sort by “ARR impact” to focus on high‑value features.
Linear supports outgoing webhooks. In Settings → Integrations → Webhooks, add an endpoint that posts to Zapier. Example: when an issue moves to “Done”, send a Slack message to #product‑updates.
Enable “Time tracking” in workspace settings. Click the clock icon on an issue to log minutes. Export CSV weekly and import into Harvest for client invoicing.
Below is a side‑by‑side comparison of Linear with two popular alternatives.
| Feature | Linear | Trello | Jira |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keyboard shortcuts | 200+ | 10+ | 50+ |
| Built‑in cycle analytics | Yes | No | Yes (Premium) |
| Custom status workflow | Unlimited | Limited (lists) | Unlimited |
| GitHub auto‑branch | Native | Power‑up only | Addon |
| Free tier limit | 5 users | Unlimited | 10 users |
| Price for 10 users | $8/user/mo | $0 | $7/user/mo |
Without a template, descriptions become inconsistent. Create a “Bug” template that includes steps to reproduce, environment, and expected behavior. Apply it to every new bug.
More than six statuses create friction. Stick to a simple flow: Backlog → Todo → In Progress → Review → Done.
Manual clicking slows you down. Spend 10 minutes learning c (create), e (edit), m (move), and ⌘+enter (save).
If you merge without linking the issue, Linear still shows it as “In Progress”. Always include #ISSUE‑NUMBER in the PR title or commit message.
Linear records cycle time automatically, but many teams never look at the chart. Review the “Analytics” tab after each sprint to adjust estimates.
Linear offers a free tier that includes unlimited issues, up to 5 active users, and basic integrations. Indie Hackers can start without paying and upgrade when they need advanced analytics or custom workflows.
Linear provides built‑in prioritization, cycle time metrics, and keyboard shortcuts, while Trello relies on manual cards and power‑ups. Linear’s road‑mapping view is faster for developers who need precise sprint planning.
Yes. Linear’s API and native GitHub integration let you transition issues automatically when a pull request is merged, keeping code and work items in sync.
Skipping issue templates, over‑customizing statuses, and ignoring keyboard shortcuts are typical errors. They slow onboarding and reduce the speed gains Linear promises.
Linear includes built‑in time tracking, but many indie teams pair it with Harvest for billing. If you only need internal estimates, Linear’s native timer is sufficient.
Linear gives Indie Hackers a fast, data‑driven way to manage product work. By following this guide—setting up the workspace, mastering core workflows, and applying advanced patterns—you can ship features quicker and avoid the pitfalls that slow most startups. Start with the free tier, experiment with custom fields, and let the built‑in analytics steer your next sprint.