Linear Bug Tracking
Bugs appear in every product. A reliable bug process makes sure each report reaches an owner, receives a fair priority, and closes with proof that the fix works. Linear supports this with triage, labels, priorities, and relations.
The Bug Journey
Report ──► Triage ──► Prioritize ──► Fix ──► Verify ──► Close │ │ │ │ │ │ User Check for Set severity Assign Tester Status or QA duplicates and label engineer confirms Done
Everyday Comparison
A car repair garage follows the same path. The front desk records the complaint, a mechanic inspects the car, the manager decides which repair comes first, the mechanic fixes the problem, and a final test drive confirms success. Skipping any step leads to angry customers.
Capture Bugs Clearly
A good report lets an engineer reproduce the problem without questions. Use a template with these fields.
| Field | What to Write |
|---|---|
| Summary | One sentence describing the failure |
| Steps to reproduce | Numbered actions that trigger the bug |
| Expected result | What should happen |
| Actual result | What happens instead |
| Environment | Device, browser, app version |
| Evidence | Screenshot, recording, or log excerpt |
Label and Prioritize
Create a Bug label for the team. Add area labels such as Payments or Login when they help routing. Set priority according to impact.
| Severity | Linear Priority | Example | Target Response |
|---|---|---|---|
| Critical | Urgent | Customers cannot pay | Same day |
| Major | High | A core feature fails for some users | Current cycle |
| Minor | Medium | A button shows the wrong text | Next cycle |
| Cosmetic | Low | A small spacing issue | Backlog |
Handle Duplicates and Links
Search before you accept a report. Mark repeated reports as duplicates of the original. Connect a bug to the feature issue that caused it with a related link, so future planners see the history.
Fix and Verify
Link Code Changes
Connect your Git provider. Engineers include the issue number in the branch name, and Linear attaches the pull request to the bug automatically.
Move Through Statuses
Developers move the bug to In Progress when work starts. A merged pull request can move the status forward through your workflow.
Confirm the Fix
A tester repeats the original steps in a test build. A passing test earns the Done status. A failing test reopens the bug with a comment.
Create a Bug Dashboard
Save a view that filters for the Bug label and open statuses. Sort by priority. Share the view with the team and open it in weekly planning.
VIEW: Open Bugs Urgent ██ 2 High █████ 5 Medium ████████ 8 Low ██████ 6
Habits That Reduce Bugs
- Review the open-bug view every week.
- Reserve a share of each cycle for bug fixes.
- Write a short note on the cause of each major bug.
- Add a test for every fixed bug so it stays fixed.
Communicate With Reporters
Reporters want to know their problem matters. Reply to each report with a short comment that confirms receipt and names the next step. Update the reporter when the fix ships. Support agents who track bugs in Linear can share the issue link with customers' account managers, so everyone sees the same status.
Learn From Repeated Bugs
Review closed bugs once a month. Group them by area label and look for patterns. Three login bugs in one month suggest weak test coverage or an unclear design in that area. Create a project that addresses the root cause instead of fixing symptoms one by one.
Questions for a Monthly Review
Which area produced the most bugs? Which bugs stayed open longest? Which reports lacked reproduction steps? The answers guide improvements in testing, templates, and training.