Discover
Span query builder: aggregations, timeseries vs table, group-by, only root transactions, ranges, formatting, and empty/error strings.
Discover is a thin UI over the span explore engine (POST /api/projects/:id/explore). Pick aggregations, timeseries vs table, an optional group-by, range, and whether to restrict to root transactions — results update as you change controls.
Use it when Frontend Overview’s fixed cards do not answer the question yet.
Tab: Insights → Discover
Layout
Left column (~280px): query builder. Right column: results (one chart per aggregation in timeseries mode, or a table).
Query builder controls
Visualize (aggregations)
Toggle chips (multi-select). Labels as shown in UI:
| Chip label | Aggregation id |
|---|---|
count | count |
tpm | tpm |
p50(duration) | p50 |
p75(duration) | p75 |
p95(duration) | p95 |
p99(duration) | p99 |
avg(duration) | avg_duration |
failure_rate | failure_rate |
count_unique(user) | users |
sum(duration) | time_spent |
Defaults selected: count and p75(duration).
Mode
Segmented control: timeseries | table (default timeseries).
Group by (table mode only)
Select options:
- — none —
transaction·op·status·browser·os·device·country
Group-by is only sent when mode is table and a field is chosen. Table rows order by the first selected aggregation descending. Limit 50.
Range
1h · 24h · 7d · 14d · 30d — default 14d.
Only root transactions
Checkbox, checked by default. When on, explore queries set onlyTransactions: true (same idea as Frontend Overview’s transaction widgets).
Results
Timeseries
One bordered chart card per selected aggregation (mono title = chip label). Shared empty chart string: No data in this window. Loading: Loading…
Value formatting:
failure_rate→ percent with 2 decimalstpm→/minor/hrfor sparse traffic- duration aggs →
msors - others → rounded integer
Table
Columns: optional group field + one column per aggregation (header uses aggregation id). Missing group value shows (none).
Empty body: No data in this window.
No aggregations selected
Dashed panel: Pick at least one aggregation to visualize.
Errors
Failed explore calls show a destructive banner with the error message (e.g. Explore query failed: HTTP … / Query failed).
Beginner workflows
Slowest routes: Mode table, Visualize p95(duration) + tpm, Group by transaction, Only root transactions on, Range 14d.
Asset vs network cost: Uncheck Only root transactions, filter mentally by grouping op, or use Frontend Overview’s ranked cards for the stock resource/http views.
Failure hotspots: failure_rate + group by transaction or browser.
Gotchas
- Discover is span-based, not product-event analytics (for events/pages use Dashboard).
- Turning off Only root transactions includes child spans — TPM/duration meaning changes.
- Group by only applies in table mode.
- Tab + query state are not in the URL.