Linear Overview
Linear is a modern project management and issue tracking software designed to streamline software development workflows. It offers a sleek, intuitive interface that helps teams plan, collaborate, and ship projects faster, with a focus on speed and simplicity.
Key Features of Linear
- Issue Tracking: Create, assign, and manage tasks and bugs with a powerful and flexible system.
- Project Management: Plan and visualize project roadmaps, set goals, and track progress.
- Git Integration: Seamlessly connect with GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket for streamlined development workflows.
- Customizable Workflows: Create and modify workflows to match your team's unique processes.
- Real-time Collaboration: Work together in real-time with instant updates and notifications.
What Makes Linear Unique
- Blazing Fast Performance: Linear's UI is optimized for speed, providing instant search and navigation.
- Keyboard-first Design: Extensive keyboard shortcuts allow for efficient navigation and task management.
- AI-assisted Issue Creation: Leverage AI to help create, refine, and categorize issues more efficiently.
- Cycle System: Organize work into time-based cycles for better planning and execution.
- Command Line Interface: Manage projects and issues directly from the terminal for developer-friendly workflows.
Is Linear Right for Me?
Linear is ideal for software development teams and technology companies looking for a modern, fast, and streamlined project management solution. It's particularly well-suited for agile teams that value efficiency and minimalism in their tools.
Signs You Need Linear
Your current project management tool feels slow or clunky
- Frequent complaints about UI responsiveness
- Team members avoiding using the tool due to frustration
- Difficulty finding information quickly
When Linear Isn’t the Right Fit
You require extensive reporting and analytics features
- Need for complex custom reports
- Requirement for detailed time tracking
- Desire for advanced portfolio management
Customizing Linear
- Custom Fields: Add custom fields to issues to capture project-specific information.
- Workflow Customization: Create and modify issue states and workflows to match your team's processes.
- Integration with External Tools: Connect Linear with other tools in your stack using webhooks and API.
- Team and Project Structure: Organize your workspace with custom teams, projects, and cycles.
- Views and Filters: Create personalized views and saved filters for quick access to relevant information.
Is Linear Worth It?
Linear is worth it for fast-growing startups and tech companies looking to streamline project management and boost engineering productivity. Its intuitive interface, powerful automation features, and deep integrations can improve workflow efficiency and team collaboration. However, for large enterprises with complex projects or organizations outside the tech industry, Linear's focus on engineering-first user experiences may not align with their needs.
How Much Does Linear Cost?
Pricing is one of the most important evaluation factors when buying software. We have pricing
insights contributed by current and former customers of Linear to help you make the
best purchasing decision for your use case.
Competitors to Linear
| Vendor | Reasons to Consider | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Asana | Offers a wider range of project management features and integrations | Teams with diverse project types, marketing teams, non-technical users |
| Atlassian Jira | Provides more robust features for large-scale project management and extensive customization options | Large enterprises, complex projects with multiple dependencies |
| ProjectManager | Offers more traditional project management features like Gantt charts and resource management | Teams using traditional project management methodologies, construction or manufacturing projects |
| Monday | Provides a highly visual and customizable workspace for various project types | Teams requiring visual project management, marketing and creative teams |
| Plane | Open-source alternative with similar modern UI and issue tracking features | Teams looking for an open-source Linear alternative, startups with budget constraints |
Open Source Alternatives to Linear
| Projects | Reasons to Consider | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| OpenProject | Comprehensive project management features including Gantt charts and time tracking | Teams requiring more traditional project management tools and methodologies |
| Plane | Modern UI and similar issue tracking features to Linear | Teams looking for a Linear-like experience with more control over data and infrastructure |
| Taiga | Offers both Kanban and Scrum methodologies with a clean, intuitive interface | Agile teams looking for a flexible, customizable project management solution |
| Redmine | Highly customizable with a wide range of plugins and extensions | Development teams comfortable with a more technical, less visually appealing interface |