How to Manage Dependencies in Linear (2026 Guide)
Linear supports dependencies through its Relations feature. You can mark issues as "blocking" or "blocked by" other issues. When a blocking issue is unresolved, Linear surfaces this in the blocked issue's detail view, and notifications alert assignees when blockers are resolved.
This guide covers how to set up and manage dependencies in Linear for effective sprint and release planning.
Step-by-step guide
Step 1: Add relations between issues
Open an issue and click the "..." menu > "Add relation." Choose "Blocks" (this issue must be done first) or "Is blocked by" (this issue cannot start until the other is done). You can also use "Duplicate of" and "Related to" for non-blocking relationships. Keyboard shortcut: press "R" to add a relation.
Step 2: Use the "Blocked" status
When an issue is blocked, change its status to "Blocked" (available in most Linear team workflows). This removes the issue from active work views and signals to the team that it cannot progress. The combination of a "Blocked" status and a "blocked by" relation makes the dependency explicit.
Step 3: View dependencies in the Project view
Navigate to the Project that contains your release-scoped issues. Switch to the "Gantt" view to see issues on a timeline with dependency lines drawn between related issues. This visual makes it easy to spot critical path items and scheduling conflicts.
Step 4: Set up notifications for unblocked issues
Linear automatically notifies the assignee when a blocking issue is resolved. Ensure team members have Slack notifications enabled for "Issue unblocked" events. This triggers work on the blocked issue as soon as the dependency is resolved.
Step 5: Create a Blocked Issues view
Create a saved view filtered to Status = Blocked. Group by Blocker (the issue that blocks them). This view shows all blocked work and makes it easy to identify which blocker, if resolved, would unblock the most downstream work.
Common mistakes
Not using formal relations
Mentioning dependencies in issue descriptions ("this depends on ENG-123") is not trackable. Use Linear's formal Relations feature so dependencies appear in views, trigger notifications, and show in the Gantt timeline.
Blocking issues without assignees
A blocking issue with no assignee has no one driving it to resolution. Every blocking issue needs an assigned owner and a priority that reflects the downstream impact.
Too many dependencies
If every issue depends on 3 other issues, your work is over-coupled. Refactor work items to minimize dependencies. Break large issues into smaller, independent pieces where possible.
Tips
- Use the keyboard shortcut "R" to quickly add relations when triaging issues
- Add a "Critical Path" label to issues that are on the dependency critical path
- Review blocked issues at the start of every standup
How Vantage helps
Vantage generates tickets with built-in dependency relationships. When creating tickets from PRDs, the AI identifies which tickets depend on others and generates a dependency graph. These dependencies push to Linear as Relations, giving your team a complete dependency picture from day one.