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name: linear-install-auth description: | Install and configure Linear SDK/CLI authentication. Use when setting up a new Linear integration, configuring API keys, or initializing Linear in your project. Trigger with phrases like "install linear", "setup linear", "linear auth", "configure linear API key", "linear SDK setup". allowed-tools: Read, Write, Edit, Bash(npm:), Bash(pnpm:), Bash(yarn:*), Grep version: 1.0.0 license: MIT author: Jeremy Longshore jeremy@intentsolutions.io

Linear Install & Auth

Overview

Set up Linear SDK and configure authentication credentials for API access.

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18+ (Linear SDK is TypeScript/JavaScript only)
• Package manager (npm, pnpm, or yarn)
• Linear account with API access
• Personal API key or OAuth app from Linear settings

Instructions

Step 1: Install SDK

Copy# npm
npm install @linear/sdk

# pnpm
pnpm add @linear/sdk

# yarn
yarn add @linear/sdk

Step 2: Generate API Key

1. Go to Linear Settings > API > Personal API keys
2. Click "Create key"
3. Copy the generated key (shown only once)

Step 3: Configure Authentication

Copy# Set environment variable
export LINEAR_API_KEY="lin_api_xxxxxxxxxxxx"

# Or create .env file
echo 'LINEAR_API_KEY=lin_api_xxxxxxxxxxxx' >> .env

Step 4: Verify Connection

Copyimport { LinearClient } from "@linear/sdk";

const client = new LinearClient({ apiKey: process.env.LINEAR_API_KEY });
const me = await client.viewer;
console.log(`Authenticated as: ${me.name} (${me.email})`);

Output

• Installed @linear/sdk package in node_modules
• Environment variable or .env file with API key
• Successful connection verification output

Error Handling

Examples

TypeScript Setup

Copyimport { LinearClient } from "@linear/sdk";

const linearClient = new LinearClient({
  apiKey: process.env.LINEAR_API_KEY,
});

// Verify connection
async function verifyConnection() {
  try {
    const viewer = await linearClient.viewer;
    console.log(`Connected as ${viewer.name}`);
    return true;
  } catch (error) {
    console.error("Linear connection failed:", error);
    return false;
  }
}

OAuth Setup (for user-facing apps)

Copyimport { LinearClient } from "@linear/sdk";

// OAuth tokens from your OAuth flow
const client = new LinearClient({
  accessToken: userAccessToken,
});

Resources

• Linear API Documentation
• Linear SDK Reference
• Linear API Settings

Next Steps

After successful auth, proceed to linear-hello-world for your first API call.