> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.chronosphere.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Visualize service topology with panels

<Note>
  [Classic dashboards](/observe/dashboards/classic-dashboards) have their own panels
  and methods of configuring them. For details about panels in classic dashboards,
  see [Classic dashboard panels](/observe/dashboards/classic-dashboards/classic-panels).
</Note>

A *topology map* is very similar to the Trace Explorer
[Topology view](/investigate/querying/traces/features#topology-view). Use this panel to
visualize how traces from services and operations in the current panel query results
cascade from each other.

To create a service topology chart or learn more about the configuration options common
to all panels, see [Panels](/observe/dashboards/panels).

You can filter a service topology chart by **Metric**:

* `Errors`
* `Requests`
* `Max Duration P50`
* `Max Duration P99`

Toggle the selected option to perform the following additional actions:

* **View operations**: See [span details](/investigate/querying/traces/features#span-details).
* **Only critical path**: Only analyze spans that most impact the total
  duration of a trace, and display them grouped by the selected property.

## Use a service chart's tooltip

Click any node or path to open a tooltip with details like requests and errors.

## Configure a service topology panel

You can configure a service topology by [modifying its <Icon icon="settings" /> **Settings**](/observe/dashboards/panels#edit-a-panel).

Any changes you make in the panel's **Settings** tab are immediately reflected in the
**Preview** pane, but take effect only when you click **Apply** in the **Edit panel**
interface and then **Save** the dashboard.

Observability Platform doesn't fully support directly editing a panel's JSON
representation and recommends configuring panels in the user interface. Use the JSON
representation only for managing your configuration as code with tools such as
[Chronoctl](/tooling/chronoctl) and [Terraform](/tooling/infrastructure/terraform).

To modify a service topology panel's settings using its **Settings** tab:

1. [Edit the service topology panel](/observe/dashboards/panels#edit-a-panel).
2. In the **Edit panel** interface, click the **Settings** tab.

You can [add links](/observe/dashboards/panels#add-links-to-a-panel) to
a service topology panel.

### Modify service topology filters

In the **Settings** tab, you can create **Span Filters**.

1. Select an option for the first box: **Variable** or **Static**.
2. If you select **Variable**, click the **Service** box to select a service.
   If you choose **Static**, enter a variable of your choosing in the **Service**
   box.
3. Select an option for the second box: **Variable** or **Static**.
4. If you select **Variable**, click the **Operation** box to select an operation.
   If you choose **Static**, enter an operation of your choosing in the **Service**
   box.
5. Click **Add Span Filter** to add additional filters.
6. Click **Add** when finished.

### Focus on a specific service

You can modify a topology panel in a Dashboard to narrow the focus to a specific
service. This view shows a single service with one service upstream and downstream,
rather than showing all connected services.

1. [Edit the service topology panel](/observe/dashboards/panels#edit-a-panel).
2. In the **Edit panel** interface, click the **Settings** tab.
3. In the **Target service** field, enter the name of the service you want to focus
   on.

   The topology map preview updates to show the service you entered.
4. Click **Apply** to apply your changes, and then click **Save** to save the changes
   to your dashboard.