@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+---
+'@hyperdx/app': patch
+---
+
+fix: start the trace waterfall higher in the side panel
+
+Trace spans no longer repeat their name in a box under the panel title, or the
+service as a chip next to the metadata row that already shows it. The
+"⌘/Ctrl + scroll to zoom" hint moves into the timeline's top-left corner
+instead of taking its own row. Long span names that the title truncates keep
+the box. Log panels keep their body box and service chip.
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ export type HighlightedAttribute = {
   lucene?: string;
 };
 
+// Renders without an outer margin; callers set the spacing around the list.
 export function DBHighlightedAttributesList({
   attributes,
 }: {
@@ -41,7 +42,7 @@ export function DBHighlightedAttributesList({
   const hiddenAttributesCount = attributes.length - sortedAttributes.length;
 
   return (
-    <Flex wrap="wrap" gap="2px" mb="md" align="baseline">
+    <Flex wrap="wrap" gap="2px" align="baseline">
       {sortedAttributes.map(({ displayedKey, value, sql, lucene, source }) => (
         <EventTag
           displayedKey={displayedKey}
 
@@ -239,6 +239,54 @@ const SPAN_KIND_LABELS: Record<string, string> = {
   SPAN_KIND_CONSUMER: 'Consumer',
 };
 
+// Longest span name the header trusts a lone title breadcrumb to show in full.
+// Kept well under that crumb's 120 character cap (MAX_LABEL_LENGTH_SINGLE in
+// SidePanelBreadcrumbs.tsx) because CSS can still ellipsize a long title in a
+// narrow drawer; longer names keep the body paper.
+const TITLE_FITS_MAX_LENGTH = 40;
+
+/**
+ * Attribute expressions shown as chips in the side panel header. Log panels
+ * also get the service name, kept from before highlightedRowAttributeExpressions
+ * existed; trace panels skip it because the metadata row already shows it.
+ */
+export function getHeaderHighlightExpressions(source: TSource) {
+  const expressions: NonNullable<
+    (TLogSource | TTraceSource)['highlightedRowAttributeExpressions']
+  > = [];
+  if (
+    (source.kind === SourceKind.Trace || source.kind === SourceKind.Log) &&
+    source.highlightedRowAttributeExpressions
+  ) {
+    expressions.push(...source.highlightedRowAttributeExpressions);
+  }
+  if (isLogSource(source) && source.serviceNameExpression) {
+    expressions.push({ sqlExpression: source.serviceNameExpression });
+  }
+  return expressions;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Whether the panel title already shows a trace span's name in full, so the
+ * header can skip the body paper that would only repeat it. Only a lone
+ * breadcrumb counts: in a trail the crumbs share one row and can cut the name
+ * off, and after View Trace the title is the originating log. Long names keep
+ * the paper too.
+ */
+export function isSpanNameShownInTitle(
+  source: TSource,
+  spanName: string | undefined,
+  breadcrumbLabels: string[],
+) {
+  return (
+    source.kind === SourceKind.Trace &&
+    spanName != null &&
+    spanName.length <= TITLE_FITS_MAX_LENGTH &&
+    breadcrumbLabels.length === 1 &&
+    breadcrumbLabels[0] === spanName
+  );
+}
+
 type DBRowSidePanelProps = {
   source: TSource;
   rowId: string | undefined;
@@ -498,31 +546,10 @@ export const DBRowSidePanelInner = ({
   }, [activeRowId, mainContent, resolvedFrameLabels]);
 
   const highlightedAttributeValues = useMemo(() => {
-    const attributeExpressions: NonNullable<
-      (TLogSource | TTraceSource)['highlightedRowAttributeExpressions']
-    > = [];
-    if (
-      (source.kind === SourceKind.Trace || source.kind === SourceKind.Log) &&
-      source.highlightedRowAttributeExpressions
-    ) {
-      attributeExpressions.push(...source.highlightedRowAttributeExpressions);
-    }
-
-    // Add service name expression to all sources, to maintain compatibility with
-    // the behavior prior to the addition of highlightedRowAttributeExpressions
-    if (
-      (isLogSource(source) || isTraceSource(source)) &&
-      source.serviceNameExpression
-    ) {
-      attributeExpressions.push({
-        sqlExpression: source.serviceNameExpression,
-      });
-    }
-
     return rowData
       ? getHighlightedAttributesFromData(
           source,
-          attributeExpressions,
+          getHeaderHighlightExpressions(source),
           rowData.data || [],
           rowData.meta || [],
         )
@@ -868,6 +895,12 @@ export const DBRowSidePanelInner = ({
     clearSpanSelection,
   ]);
 
+  const isBodyShownInTitle = isSpanNameShownInTitle(
+    source,
+    mainContent,
+    allBreadcrumbs.map(crumb => crumb.label),
+  );
+
   const availableTabs = useMemo<Tab[]>(() => {
     const tabs: Tab[] = [];
     if (hasOverviewPanel && !sourceIsTrace) tabs.push(Tab.Overview);
@@ -1075,6 +1108,7 @@ export const DBRowSidePanelInner = ({
           attributes={highlightedAttributeValues}
           mainContent={mainContent}
           mainContentHeader={mainContentColumn}
+          bodyShownInTitle={isBodyShownInTitle}
           severityText={severityText}
           rowData={normalizedRow}
         />
 
@@ -24,12 +24,17 @@ export default function DBRowSidePanelHeader({
   // source has neither body nor implicit column configured), the body
   // paper is suppressed entirely; the highlighted attributes still render.
   bodyConfigured = true,
+  // When `true`, the panel title already shows `mainContent` in full (a
+  // trace span's name, for example), so the body paper is omitted rather
+  // than repeating the title directly below it.
+  bodyShownInTitle = false,
   severityText,
   rowData,
 }: {
   mainContent?: string;
   mainContentHeader?: string;
   bodyConfigured?: boolean;
+  bodyShownInTitle?: boolean;
   attributes?: HighlightedAttribute[];
   severityText?: string;
   rowData?: Record<string, any>;
@@ -85,7 +90,7 @@ export default function DBRowSidePanelHeader({
 
   return (
     <>
-      {!bodyConfigured ? null : mainContent ? (
+      {!bodyConfigured || bodyShownInTitle ? null : mainContent ? (
         <Paper
           p="xs"
           mt="sm"
@@ -135,9 +140,11 @@ export default function DBRowSidePanelHeader({
         </Paper>
       )}
       <AISummarizeButton rowData={rowData} severityText={severityText} />
-      <Box mt="xs">
-        <DBHighlightedAttributesList attributes={attributesWithDefault} />
-      </Box>
+      {attributesWithDefault.length > 0 && (
+        <Box mt="xs">
+          <DBHighlightedAttributesList attributes={attributesWithDefault} />
+        </Box>
+      )}
     </>
   );
 }
@@ -1394,12 +1394,7 @@ export function DBTraceWaterfallChartContainer({
   return (
     <>
       {showMinimap && (
-        <Box mb="md">
-          <TimelineMinimap
-            rows={timelineRows}
-            controller={viewportController}
-          />
-        </Box>
+        <TimelineMinimap rows={timelineRows} controller={viewportController} />
       )}
       {isFilterExpanded && (
         <form onSubmit={handleSubmit(onSubmitFilters)}>
@@ -1618,7 +1613,11 @@ export function DBTraceWaterfallChartContainer({
         </Group>
       </Group>
       {!isFetching && !error && highlightedAttributeValues?.length > 0 && (
-        <DBHighlightedAttributesList attributes={highlightedAttributeValues} />
+        <Box mb="xs">
+          <DBHighlightedAttributesList
+            attributes={highlightedAttributeValues}
+          />
+        </Box>
       )}
       <div
         ref={timelineWrapperRef}
 
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { memo, useEffect, useLayoutEffect, useMemo, useRef } from 'react';
 import cx from 'classnames';
-import { Flex, Kbd, Text } from '@mantine/core';
+import { Flex, Text } from '@mantine/core';
 import { useVirtualizer } from '@tanstack/react-virtual';
 
 import {
@@ -77,7 +77,12 @@ type TimelineChartProps = {
 const MIN_VIEWPORT_FRAC = 0.02;
 
 const axisHeight = 24;
-const rowsMarginTop = 32;
+// Gap between the axis and the first row. The hover time label
+// (TimelineMouseCursor, styled in TimelineChart.module.scss) reaches about 37px
+// below the top of the chart; the first row starts at
+// axisHeight + rowsMarginTop = 44px, which keeps it clear with some headroom.
+// Revisit this if the label's padding or offset grows.
+const rowsMarginTop = 20;
 const maxScale = 100;
 
 export const TimelineChart = memo(function (props: TimelineChartProps) {
@@ -404,12 +409,6 @@ export const TimelineChart = memo(function (props: TimelineChartProps) {
 
   return (
     <Flex h={maxHeight} mah={maxHeight} direction="column">
-      <Flex justify="end" mb="sm">
-        <Text>
-          <Kbd>⌘/Ctrl</Kbd> + <Kbd>scroll</Kbd> to zoom
-        </Text>
-      </Flex>
-
       <div className={styles.timelineViewport}>
         <div className={styles.timelineContainer} ref={timelineRef}>
           <div
@@ -426,15 +425,29 @@ export const TimelineChart = memo(function (props: TimelineChartProps) {
               labelWidth={labelWidth}
             />
 
+            {/* The corner above the label column is otherwise empty, so the
+                zoom hint lives here instead of in its own row above the chart.
+                It reuses the tick label class and inherits the axis font so it
+                reads as part of the axis header. */}
             <div
-              aria-hidden
               className={styles.timelineCorner}
+              data-testid="timeline-corner"
               style={{
                 width: labelWidth,
                 height: `${axisHeight + rowsMarginTop}px`,
                 marginTop: `-${axisHeight + rowsMarginTop}px`,
               }}
-            />
+            >
+              <Text
+                inherit
+                c="dimmed"
+                truncate="end"
+                className={styles.xAxisTickLabel}
+                data-testid="timeline-zoom-hint"
+              >
+                ⌘/Ctrl + scroll to zoom
+              </Text>
+            </div>
 
             {rowVirtualizer.getVirtualItems().map(virtualRow => {
               const row = rows[virtualRow.index];
 
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+import { screen } from '@testing-library/react';
+
+import { TimelineChart } from '@/components/TimelineChart/TimelineChart';
+import type { TTimelineEvent } from '@/components/TimelineChart/TimelineChartRowEvents';
+
+function makeRow(id: string, start: number, end: number) {
+  const event: TTimelineEvent = {
+    id,
+    start,
+    end,
+    tooltip: id,
+    color: 'white',
+    backgroundColor: 'gray',
+    body: <span>{id}</span>,
+    minWidthPx: 1,
+  };
+  return { id, label: <span>{id}</span>, events: [event] };
+}
+
+describe('TimelineChart', () => {
+  it('shows the zoom hint in the corner above the labels, inside the chart', () => {
+    renderWithMantine(
+      <TimelineChart
+        initialScrollRowIndex={-1}
+        labelWidth={300}
+        maxHeight={400}
+        rowHeight={22}
+        rows={[makeRow('root', 0, 100), makeRow('child', 10, 40)]}
+        onEventClick={jest.fn()}
+      />,
+    );
+
+    const hint = screen.getByTestId('timeline-zoom-hint');
+    expect(hint).toHaveTextContent('⌘/Ctrl + scroll to zoom');
+    // Lives in the corner cell above the span labels rather than in a row of
+    // its own above the chart.
+    expect(hint.closest('[data-testid="timeline-corner"]')).toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+});
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+import {
+  getHeaderHighlightExpressions,
+  isSpanNameShownInTitle,
+} from '@/components/DBRowSidePanel';
+import { makeLogSource, makeTraceSource } from '@/llm/__fixtures__/sources';
+
+describe('isSpanNameShownInTitle', () => {
+  const trace = makeTraceSource();
+
+  it('is true when the lone title crumb is a short span name', () => {
+    expect(
+      isSpanNameShownInTitle(trace, 'GET /checkout', ['GET /checkout']),
+    ).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it('allows names up to 40 characters', () => {
+    const name = 'x'.repeat(40);
+    expect(isSpanNameShownInTitle(trace, name, [name])).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it('keeps the body for longer names the title can cut off', () => {
+    const name = 'x'.repeat(41);
+    expect(isSpanNameShownInTitle(trace, name, [name])).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it('keeps the body in a breadcrumb trail, where crumbs share the row', () => {
+    // A hop between two spans with the same name is still a trail.
+    expect(
+      isSpanNameShownInTitle(trace, 'GET /checkout', [
+        'GET /checkout',
+        'GET /checkout',
+      ]),
+    ).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it('keeps the body when the title is not the span name', () => {
+    expect(isSpanNameShownInTitle(trace, 'GET /checkout', ['Trace'])).toBe(
+      false,
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('keeps the body when the span has no body value', () => {
+    expect(isSpanNameShownInTitle(trace, undefined, ['Trace'])).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it('keeps the body on log panels', () => {
+    expect(
+      isSpanNameShownInTitle(makeLogSource(), 'a log line', ['a log line']),
+    ).toBe(false);
+  });
+});
+
+describe('getHeaderHighlightExpressions', () => {
+  it('does not repeat the service as a chip on trace panels', () => {
+    expect(getHeaderHighlightExpressions(makeTraceSource())).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it('still highlights the service on log panels', () => {
+    expect(getHeaderHighlightExpressions(makeLogSource())).toEqual([
+      { sqlExpression: 'ServiceName' },
+    ]);
+  });
+
+  it('keeps highlights configured on the source', () => {
+    const highlight = { sqlExpression: "SpanAttributes['http.method']" };
+    expect(
+      getHeaderHighlightExpressions(
+        makeTraceSource({ highlightedRowAttributeExpressions: [highlight] }),
+      ),
+    ).toEqual([highlight]);
+  });
+});