MCP Directory

How to add Linear MCP Server to Cursor

Let LLMs create, search, update, and comment on Linear issues through the Model Context Protocol. Paste the config into ~/.cursor/mcp.json and restart Cursor.

Last updated June 14, 2026 · 344★ · stdio · apikey

Cursor config for Linear MCP Server

npx @smithery/cli install linear-mcp-server --client claude
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "linear-mcp-server": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "linear-mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "LINEAR_API_KEY": "your_linear_api_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Setup steps

  1. 1Open Cursor → Settings → MCP → Add new MCP server (or edit ~/.cursor/mcp.json directly).
  2. 2Paste the Linear MCP Server config below into the "mcpServers" object.
  3. 3Fill in placeholder secrets, then save.
  4. 4Cursor reloads MCP servers automatically — check Settings → MCP for a green status dot.
  5. 5Ask Cursor to use one of Linear MCP Server's tools to confirm it's connected.

Before you start

  • A Linear API key for your team (from https://linear.app/YOUR-TEAM/settings/api)
  • Node.js with npx available
  • An MCP client such as Claude Desktop

What Linear MCP Server can do in Cursor

linear_create_issue

Create a new Linear issue. Required: title, teamId. Optional: description (markdown), priority (0-4), status.

linear_update_issue

Update an existing issue. Required: id. Optional: title, description, priority (0-4), status.

linear_search_issues

Search issues with flexible filtering. Optional: query, teamId, status, assigneeId, labels, priority, limit (default 10).

linear_get_user_issues

Get issues assigned to a user. Optional: userId (omit for authenticated user), includeArchived, limit (default 50).

linear_add_comment

Add a comment to an issue. Required: issueId, body (markdown). Optional: createAsUser, displayIconUrl.

Security

Requires a Linear API key (LINEAR_API_KEY) with access to your team's data. The key is passed via environment variable in the client config; treat it as a secret and scope it to the minimum team access needed. This server is deprecated and unmaintained.

Linear MCP Server + Cursor FAQ

Where is the Cursor config file?

Cursor reads MCP servers from ~/.cursor/mcp.json. Paste the Linear MCP Server config there under the "mcpServers" key and restart the client.

Is Linear MCP Server safe to use with Cursor?

Requires a Linear API key (LINEAR_API_KEY) with access to your team's data. The key is passed via environment variable in the client config; treat it as a secret and scope it to the minimum team access needed. This server is deprecated and unmaintained.

Is this server still maintained?

No. The README states it is deprecated and no longer maintained. The author recommends Linear's official remote MCP server at https://mcp.linear.app/sse.

How do I authenticate?

Create a Linear API key for your team at https://linear.app/YOUR-TEAM/settings/api and set it as the LINEAR_API_KEY environment variable in your MCP client config.

How do I install it?

Automatically via Smithery (npx @smithery/cli install linear-mcp-server --client claude), or manually by adding the mcpServers config block (command npx, args -y linear-mcp-server) to your Claude Desktop config with your LINEAR_API_KEY.

View repo Full Linear MCP Server page