Linear vs Rt
RT is a credible Linear alternative when self-hosting, source-code access, highly configurable ticket workflows, or email-centric operations matter more than an integrated product-development suite. Choose RT for adaptable issue and request management with infrastructure control; choose Linear when initiatives, roadmaps, cycles, product specifications, code review, and AI coding workflows are central requirements.
Decision guide
The practical reasons to choose either option, based on documented capabilities.
Choose Rt if
- IT, support, security, and operations teams managing email-driven ticket queues
- Organizations requiring a self-hosted, open-source issue tracker
- Teams needing custom ticket lifecycles, roles, permissions, fields, and automation scripts or actions
Stay with Linear if
- Product planning depends on documented Linear concepts such as initiatives, roadmaps, projects, cycles, and product specifications; equivalent RT coverage is not documented here
- Teams need structural code diffs, review and merge workflows inside the tracker
- Teams assign issues to Claude Code or Codex in managed cloud coding sessions and expect draft pull requests or diffs
Deployment and operations
RT is self-hostable and licensed under GPL-2.0, with commercial hosting and support also available. A production installation requires Perl 5.26.3 or later, a supported SQL database, a FastCGI- or mod_perl-capable web server, Perl modules, web and email-gateway configuration, backups, and scheduled maintenance jobs. No Docker or Kubernetes deployment is documented in the supplied repository facts.
Migration considerations
RT's vendor states that it can help migrate existing and legacy data, but the supplied material documents neither a Linear-specific importer nor field, history, attachment, or identity compatibility. Treat migration as a scoped services or custom-integration project rather than a confirmed direct import.
Feature fit
What Rt covers
- Issue or ticket tracking
- Configurable status workflows
- Priorities and assignment
- Dashboards and charts
- Workflow automation
- API-based integrations
- Search and reporting
What’s different or missing
- Documented initiatives and roadmaps
- Documented recurring development cycles
- Documented product specifications
- Structural code review and merging
- Managed AI coding sessions
- Documented Zendesk and Intercom intake
Project snapshot
- GitHub stars
- 1,143
- Contributors
- 150
- Language
- Perl
- Last commit
- Jul 23, 2026
- Latest release
- May 20, 2026
Categories: Customer Feedback, DevOps, Business Intelligence, Workflow Automation, Project Management
Sources and editorial review12 linked sources
Public documentation supports this comparison. Automation assists collection and classification; editorial standards and corrections remain the responsibility of Kris.
Request Tracker, an enterprise-grade issue tracking system
repository description · github.comRT allows organizations to keep track of what needs to get done, who is working on which tasks, what's already been done, and when tasks were (or weren't) completed.
readme · github.comRT is an open source, enterprise-grade issue and ticket tracking system.
readme · github.comSet up users, groups, queues, scrips and access control.
readme · github.comRT's FastCGI handler needs to access RT's configuration file.
readme · github.comTo configure RT with the web installer, run: /opt/rt6/sbin/rt-server
readme · github.comRT is an open source, enterprise-grade issue and ticket tracking system.
verdict · github.comRT’s lifecycles feature enables you to create, manage, and automate workflows.
shared feature · requesttracker.comRT doesn't cost anything to use, no matter how much you use it; it is freely available under the terms of Version 2 of the GNU General Public License.
deployment · github.comPerl 5.26.3 or later
deployment · github.comA supported SQL database
deployment · github.comAlready using another tool? No problem. We can help you migrate your existing data and legacy information into a shiny new RT.
migration · requesttracker.com
