---
name: Add Linear Channel
slug: add-linear-channel
category: AI Engineering
description: Add Linear Channel adds Linear support via the Chat SDK bridge so the agent participates in issue comment threads. It copies the Linear adapter, registers it, installs the package, and configures credentials and webhook wiring for team-routed comment handling.
github: "https://github.com/nanocoai/nanoclaw/tree/main/.claude/skills/add-linear"
language: TypeScript
stars: 30510
forks: 12854
install: "npx degit https://github.com/nanocoai/nanoclaw/tree/main/.claude/skills/add-linear ~/.claude/skills/add-linear"
installs_to: ~/.claude/skills/add-linear
source_path: .claude/skills/add-linear/SKILL.md
collection_size: 25
category_size: 2451
collection_url: "https://dirskills.com/collections/nanocoai/nanoclaw"
added: 2026-08-14T07:11:31.062Z
last_synced: 2026-08-14T07:11:31.062Z
canonical_url: "https://dirskills.com/skills/add-linear-channel"
---

# Add Linear Channel

Add Linear Channel adds Linear support via the Chat SDK bridge so the agent participates in issue comment threads. It copies the Linear adapter, registers it, installs the package, and configures credentials and webhook wiring for team-routed comment handling.

**Install:**

```bash
npx degit https://github.com/nanocoai/nanoclaw/tree/main/.claude/skills/add-linear ~/.claude/skills/add-linear
```

## README

# Add Linear Channel

Adds Linear support via the Chat SDK bridge. The agent participates in issue
comment threads. Every comment on a Linear issue triggers the agent — no
@-mention needed. NanoClaw doesn't ship channels in trunk — this skill copies the
Linear adapter in from the `channels` branch.

The mechanical steps under **Apply** carry `nc:` directive fences: an agent reads
the prose and applies them, and a parser can apply them deterministically from
the same document. Every directive is idempotent, so the whole skill is safe to
re-run; anything a parser can't apply falls back to the prose beside it.

## Prerequisites

**Recommended:** Create a Linear **OAuth application** so the agent posts as an app identity, not as you. This prevents the adapter from filtering your own comments as self-messages.

1. Go to [Linear Settings > API > OAuth Applications](https://linear.app/settings/api/applications/new)
2. Create an app (e.g. "NanoClaw Bot")
   - Developer URL: your repo URL (e.g. `https://github.com/your-org/nanoclaw`)
   - Callback URL: `http://localhost`
3. After creating, click the app and enable **Client credentials** under grant types
4. Copy the **Client ID** and **Client Secret**

**Alternative:** Use a Personal API Key (`LINEAR_API_KEY`) for simpler setup. The agent will post as you, and your own comments will be filtered (other team members' comments still work).

## Apply

Linear OAuth apps post and read comments under an app identity that can't be
@-mentioned; the adapter's declared channel defaults therefore respond to plain
comments rather than mention-only, and the wiring below sets that same pattern
mode explicitly.

### 1. Copy the adapter and its registration test

Fetch the `channels` branch and copy the Linear adapter and its registration
test into `src/channels/` (overwrite — the branch is canonical):

```nc:copy from-branch:channels
src/channels/linear.ts
src/channels/linear-registration.test.ts
```

### 2. Register the adapter

Append the self-registration import to the channel barrel (skipped if the line
is already present). This one line is the skill's only reach-in into the channel
registry:

```nc:append to:src/channels/index.ts
import './linear.js';
```

### 3. Install the adapter package

Pinned to an exact version — the supply-chain policy rejects ranges and `latest`:

```nc:dep
@chat-adapter/linear@4.29.0
```

### 4. Build and validate

Build first: it guards the typed `createChatSdkBridge(...)` core call and proves
the dependency is installed. Then run the one integration test.

```nc:run effect:build
pnpm run build
```
```nc:run effect:test
pnpm exec vitest run src/channels/linear-registration.test.ts
```

Both must be clean before proceeding. `linear-registration.test.ts` imports the
real channel barrel and asserts the registry contains `linear`. It goes red if
the `import './linear.js';` line is deleted or drifts, if the barrel fails to
evaluate, or if `@chat-adapter/linear` isn't installed (the import throws) — so
it also covers the dependency from step 3. End-to-end message delivery against a
real Linear workspace is verified manually once the service is running — see
Wiring and Next Steps.

## Credentials

Linear app and webhook setup is human and interactive — these steps are prose
(no parser can click through the Linear UI), except the final env write.

### 1. Set up a webhook

1. Go to **Linear Settings** > **API** > **Webhooks** > **New webhook**
2. Label: `NanoClaw`
3. URL: `https://your-domain/webhook/linear` (the shared webhook server, default port 3000)
4. Team: select the team you want to monitor
5. Events: check **Comment**
6. Save — copy the **signing secret**

Note: Linear webhook delivery may be delayed 1-5 minutes for new webhooks. This is normal.

### 2. Store the credentials

Capture the values, then write them. `prompt` only *asks* and binds the answer
to a name; a separate directive consumes it. Here they go to `.env`
(set-if-absent — a value you've already filled in is never overwritten) and sync
to the container.

Use **either** the OAuth app credentials (recommended) **or** a Personal API key.
For the API-key path, paste `none` at the OAuth prompts and set `LINEAR_API_KEY`
in `.env` by hand (commented in the template below). `LINEAR_BOT_USERNAME` is the
display name for the bot, used for self-message detection when using a Personal
API Key. `LINEAR_TEAM_KEY` is the Linear team key (e.g. `ENG`, `NAN`) — find it
in Linear under Settings > Teams; all issues in this team route to one messaging
group.

```nc:prompt linear_client_id secret
Paste the OAuth Client ID — Linear Settings > API > OAuth Applications. Paste `none` if using a Personal API key instead.
```
```nc:prompt linear_client_secret secret
Paste the OAuth Client Secret. Paste `none` if using a Personal API key instead.
```
```nc:prompt linear_webhook_secret secret
Paste the webhook signing secret from the webhook you just created.
```
```nc:prompt linear_team_key
Enter the Linear team key (e.g. `ENG`, `NAN`) — Settings > Teams.
```
```nc:prompt linear_bot_username
Enter the bot display name (e.g. `NanoClaw Bot`).
```
```nc:env-set
LINEAR_CLIENT_ID={{linear_client_id}}
LINEAR_CLIENT_SECRET={{linear_client_secret}}
LINEAR_WEBHOOK_SECRET={{linear_webhook_secret}}
LINEAR_TEAM_KEY={{linear_team_key}}
LINEAR_BOT_USERNAME={{linear_bot_username}}
```
If you went the Personal API key route, add this line to `.env` instead of the
OAuth pair (agent posts as you, your own comments are filtered):

```bash
LINEAR_API_KEY=lin_api_...
```

## Wiring

Linear is team-routed: the assistant watches one team and answers *every* comment
on its issues (it can't be @-mentioned). Wire the team you set up to an agent —
pick which one should answer (`ncl groups list` shows their folders). The host
service must be running — `ncl` connects to it over a Unix socket.

The sender policy depends on the workspace: a private workspace can use `public`
(only workspace members can comment anyway); a public workspace should use
`strict` so only registered members may talk to the agent.

```nc:prompt agent_folder
Which agent should answer Linear comments? Enter its folder (run `ncl groups list`).
```
```nc:prompt linear_sender_policy normalize:lower validate:^(public|strict)$
Is this a private or public Linear workspace? Enter `public` for a private workspace (only members can comment) or `strict` for a public workspace (only registered members may talk to the agent).
```
```nc:run effect:wire
ncl messaging-groups create --channel-type linear --platform-id linear:{{linear_team_key}} --is-group 1 --unknown-sender-policy {{linear_sender_policy}} --name {{linear_team_key}}
ncl wirings create --channel-type linear --platform-id linear:{{linear_team_key}} --agent-group {{agent_folder}} --engage-mode pattern --engage-pattern . --session-mode per-thread
```

The explicit `pattern` engage mode with pattern `.` matches the Linear adapter's
declared channel defaults — Linear can't be @-mentioned, so the agent answers
every comment. Each issue thread becomes its own conversation. There's no
welcome — Linear has no direct message, so the assistant greets people when it
first answers a comment. If you chose `strict`, register the people who may talk
to the agent (see the GitHub skill for adding members).

## Next Steps

If you're in the middle of `/setup`, return to the setup flow now.

Otherwise, restart the service to pick up the new channel.

Run from your NanoClaw project root:

```bash
source setup/lib/install-slug.sh
launchctl kickstart -k gui/$(id -u)/$(launchd_label)  # macOS
systemctl --user restart $(systemd_unit)              # Linux
```

## Channel Info

- **type**: `linear`
- **terminology**: Linear has "teams" containing "issues." Each issue's comment thread is a separate conversation.
- **how-to-find-id**: The platform ID is `linear:<TEAM_KEY>` (e.g. `linear:ENG`). Find your team key in Linear under Settings > Teams. Each issue becomes its own thread automatically.
- **supports-threads**: yes (issue comment threads are native conversations)
- **typical-use**: Webhook-driven — the agent receives all issue comment events and responds automatically. No @-mention needed (Linear OAuth apps can't be @-mentioned).
- **default-isolation**: Use `per-thread` session mode. Each issue comment thread gets its own isolated agent session.

## Troubleshooting

**Comments never reach the agent.** New Linear webhooks can lag 1–5 minutes, so wait before digging. Then check the webhook in Linear Settings → API → Webhooks: the URL must be your public host at `/webhook/linear` (shared webhook server, port 3000), the right team selected, and the **Comment** event checked. A mismatch between the webhook's signing secret and `LINEAR_WEBHOOK_SECRET` makes deliveries fail signature verification silently — re-copy the secret from the webhook page.

**OAuth credentials rejected.** The Client ID and Secret come from Linear Settings → API → OAuth Applications, and the app must have **Client credentials** enabled under grant types after creation — without that toggle the token exchange 401s. If you meant to use a Personal API key instead, answer `none` at both OAuth prompts and set `LINEAR_API_KEY` in `.env` by hand.

**The agent ignores your own comments.** That's Personal-API-key mode working as designed: comments from the key's account are filtered as self-messages so the bot doesn't answer itself. Other members' comments still trigger it; if it must answer you too, switch to the OAuth app identity.

**Sender-policy answer rejected, or issues route nowhere.** The policy must be exactly `public` or `strict` (lowercase), and `LINEAR_TEAM_KEY` must be the short team key (e.g. `ENG`) from Settings → Teams — all issues in that one team route to the messaging group.

**Wired but dead.** Run `pnpm exec vitest run src/channels/linear-registration.test.ts` — red means the barrel import or the `@chat-adapter/linear` install drifted, so re-run the Apply steps. If green, restart the service (see Next Steps) so the adapter and `.env` values are live.
