Linear API Key: How to Generate and Use It (GraphQL Guide for Developers)

Linear API keys are long-lived user-scoped credentials used to authenticate requests to Linear's GraphQL API, offering a streamlined way to automate workflows, build internal tools, and integrate Linear into backend systems. Unlike OAuth tokens, which are dynamic and expire, API keys are static and require careful management due to their permission-bound nature, inheriting the rights of the user who created them. The API keys facilitate interactions with Linear's GraphQL-only endpoint, which requires all operations to be sent via POST requests to a single endpoint, and demand attention to query structure due to potential errors and rate limits. They are ideal for internal use cases such as dashboards, CI/CD automation, and data export, but are not suited for frontend applications due to security risks. While API keys simplify authentication for single-user scenarios, OAuth is more appropriate for multi-tenant SaaS integrations, highlighting the importance of understanding the distinct authentication requirements and challenges when integrating Linear with other systems.