PlugWiki

Linear Release Setup skill for Claude Code: generate your CI release config

Makes Claude ask how you ship, then write the CI config that reports your releases to Linear. Covers GitHub Actions, GitLab CI and CircleCI.

Installs
15.3K
on skills.sh
Stars
70
on GitHub
Updated
Oct 2026
last repo commit

Run /linear-release-setup, or ask Claude to set up Linear Release. Claude first checks that you have a release pipeline in Linear (Settings, then Releases), finds your CI platform and default branch, and asks what you ship. For each build it asks whether releases are continuous or scheduled. For scheduled ones it also asks about branches, version numbers, stages and automation.

Then it picks the matching example config from the linear-release repo, adapts it, and reminds you to add the pipeline's access key to your CI secrets. SKILL.md tells Claude to fetch the linear-release README before it writes any config, so Claude needs to be able to read that page. The skill folder holds one file, SKILL.md.

Good for

  • Teams that track releases in Linear and want CI to report each deploy
  • Mobile and web teams that ship more than one build and need to split them into Linear pipelines
  • Monorepo teams that need each service to report only its own changes
  • Anyone setting up Linear Release for the first time

Install linear-release-setup

Claude Code

  1. 1

    Copy this prompt.

    Install the linear-release-setup skill in Claude Code. Run this command:

npx skills add linear/linear-release

Then check that it loaded and tell me how to use it.
  2. 2

    Paste it into Claude Code. It shows the change and asks before running it.

Requires Node.js.

The README also says you can copy SKILL.md into your project, which is what the folder routes do by hand. Run it with /linear-release-setup, or ask Claude to set up Linear Release.

From the project README. Source.

What's in the skill

When it loads

Generate CI/CD configuration for Linear Release. Use when setting up release tracking, configuring CI pipelines for Linear, or integrating deployments with Linear releases. Supports GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, CircleCI, and other platforms.

Sections in SKILL.md

  1. Interactive Workflow
  2. Step 1: Preflight
  3. Step 2: Map pipelines, then ask
  4. Step 3: Generate the CI configuration
  5. Step 4: Remind about secrets
  6. Key Concepts
  7. Stages vs Pipelines
  8. Reference
  9. Checklist

Key facts

Author
Linear (the skill sits in the vendor's own linear/linear-release repo)
Repo
linear/linear-release
License
MIT (LICENSE file; the README badge also says MIT)
Installs on skills.sh
15,252 (Nov 2, 2026)
GitHub stars
70 (Nov 2, 2026)
Last commit to the repo
Oct 20, 2026
What installs
1 file: SKILL.md
Needs
A release pipeline created in Linear first, and its access key for your CI secrets
skills.sh audits
Gen Agent Trust Hub: pass, Socket: pass, Snyk: pass

What it includes

  • Starts the guided setup for Linear release tracking in your CI

    Type /linear-release-setup, or ask Claude to set up Linear Release and it picks the skill up by itself. The README documents both ways.

    Write · /linear-release-setup

  • Checks the Linear pipeline exists, finds your CI platform and default branch

    Looks for .github/workflows/*.yml, .gitlab-ci.yml or .circleci/config.yml, and checks the default branch with git symbolic-ref refs/remotes/origin/HEAD instead of assuming main.

    Runs code · Step 1: Preflight

  • Asks what you ship and whether each pipeline is continuous or scheduled

    Lists every build you ship on its own, such as production, beta, nightly, staging or per-platform builds. For scheduled pipelines it asks about branch model, version source, stages and automation, and about monorepo paths.

    Step 2: Map pipelines, then ask

  • Decides if two things need separate pipelines or one pipeline with stages

    If two things can hold different commits at the same time, they are separate pipelines. If it is the same build moving through gates such as code freeze and QA, it is one pipeline with stages.

    Stages versus pipelines test

  • Adapts one of six example configs from the linear-release repo

    Examples exist for GitHub Actions, GitLab CI and CircleCI, each in a continuous and a scheduled version. For GitHub Actions it prefers the official linear/linear-release-action@v0. Other platforms use the CLI binary.

    Write · Step 3: Generate the CI config

  • Warns about Alpine images, missing git or curl, and shallow GitLab clones

    The prebuilt CLI needs a glibc image such as Debian or Ubuntu, plus git and curl. On GitLab it sets GIT_DEPTH to 0 on the job and checks GIT_STRATEGY is not none or empty.

    Docker and GitLab checks

  • Tells you where to add LINEAR_ACCESS_KEY, one secret per pipeline

    Names the settings page for GitHub Actions, GitLab CI and CircleCI. The key itself is created in Linear, from the pipeline's settings page.

    Step 4: Remind about secrets

From the official docs

Permissions

Medium risk

The skill writes CI config that runs a release tool with your Linear access key, so a wrong workflow could expose the key or report the wrong commits. Review the generated workflow before you merge it and keep the key in your CI secrets only.

What it can do

  • Read your data
  • Create and change things
  • Delete things
  • Read-only mode

Watch out for

  • It writes CI workflow files in your repo

    The generated job runs in your CI with your access key. Review the workflow diff before you merge it. github.com

  • The CI job runs a downloaded program

    Outside GitHub Actions the README downloads a prebuilt binary with curl from GitHub releases. Releases after v0.16.0 include a checksums.txt file; earlier ones predate it. github.com

  • GitHub Actions configs use a separate action

    For GitHub Actions, SKILL.md prefers the official linear/linear-release-action@v0, so the workflow runs code from that repo in your CI with your access key. Review its inputs in the action README. github.com

  • Commit data goes to Linear

    The README says the CLI scans commits for issue IDs and sends issues, links and pull request numbers with repository info to Linear. github.com

  • It needs the full git history

    SKILL.md says the job needs a full clone (fetch-depth 0, or GIT_DEPTH 0 on GitLab), so a shallow checkout will not work. github.com

Security advisories

No published security advisories as of Nov 2, 2026.

Technical details
Turning on read-onlyThe skill has no read-only mode. The linear-release CLI has a --dry-run flag, but SKILL.md does not use it.
Talks togithub.com (Claude fetches the linear-release README; the CI job downloads the CLI from GitHub releases). Linear (the CLI syncs releases and issues to your workspace)
Sign-in and keysYou store LINEAR_ACCESS_KEY as a secret in your CI settings (GitHub Actions, GitLab CI or CircleCI), one key per pipeline.
Scopes

  • Reads CI config files (.github/workflows, .gitlab-ci.yml, .circleci/config.yml) and runs git symbolic-ref to find the default branch

  • Writes or edits a CI workflow file in your repo

  • The CI job it sets up needs your Linear pipeline access key as a secret

Questions

How do I install and run Linear Release Setup?

Use the install box above. Linear's README documents the skills CLI route and copying SKILL.md into your project. Then run /linear-release-setup, or ask Claude to set up Linear Release and it picks up the skill itself.

Do I need an API key?

The skill is one SKILL.md and names no key for itself, but the CI job it sets up needs one. You create a pipeline access key in Linear, from the pipeline's settings page, and store it as the LINEAR_ACCESS_KEY secret in your CI. Each pipeline has its own key. You must also create the pipeline in Linear first.

Which CI systems does it cover?

GitHub Actions, GitLab CI and CircleCI have example configs, each for continuous and scheduled pipelines. SKILL.md says it supports other platforms too, and uses the CLI binary from the README for them.

What is the difference between a pipeline and a stage?

A pipeline is one stream of releases. A stage is one phase inside a release. SKILL.md's test: if two things can be in flight at once with different commits, they are separate pipelines. If it is one build moving through gates like code freeze and QA, it is one pipeline with stages. Stages only exist on scheduled pipelines.

Is it safe to run?

It writes or edits CI workflow files in your repo, so review the diff before you merge. The config it writes runs the linear-release tool in your CI with your access key. The README says releases after v0.16.0 publish a checksums.txt file with SHA-256 digests. Our advice: check the downloaded binary against it if your CI allows.

Is it official?

Yes. It sits in Linear's own linear-release repo, and the README's AI-assisted setup section points to it.

Does it work in the Claude app?

The README does not name the Claude app or any specific agent. It says to run the skill from your AI agent. Because it reads your CI files and git settings, we list only the install routes for coding agents.

Information

updated Nov 2, 2026

Repository
linear/linear-release
Folder
skills/linear-release-setup

linear/linear-releaseskills.sh

Sources

Docs, issue trackers and discussions this page is built from.

Show all 2
  1. linear-release README · github.com
  2. linear-release-setup SKILL.md · github.com

Updated Nov 2, 2026.