Shuttle Dots Loader
Five dots shuttle from one end to the other: the lead dot leaves first, the rest string out behind it, and they bunch up in order at the far end before heading back.
Also known as: back and forth dots loader, dot shuttle, dots bunching side to side.
HTML
<div class="ldr-shuttle-dots" role="status" aria-label="Loading"> <span style="--i:0"></span><span style="--i:1"></span><span style="--i:2"></span><span style="--i:3"></span><span style="--i:4"></span> </div>
CSS
.ldr-shuttle-dots {
--s: var(--ldr-size, 48px);
--c: var(--ldr-color, #3b82f6);
--d: calc(var(--s) / 4.5);
--w: calc(var(--s) * 1.5);
--k: calc(var(--d) * 0.6);
position: relative;
width: calc(var(--w) + var(--d));
height: var(--d);
}
.ldr-shuttle-dots span {
position: absolute;
top: 0;
left: 0;
width: var(--d);
height: var(--d);
border-radius: 50%;
background: var(--c);
opacity: calc(1 - var(--i) * 0.14);
animation: ldr-shuttle-dots-shuttle 1.8s cubic-bezier(0.65, 0, 0.35, 1) infinite;
animation-delay: calc(var(--i) * 0.06s - 1.8s);
}
@keyframes ldr-shuttle-dots-shuttle {
0%, 15%, 100% { transform: translateX(calc(var(--i) * var(--k))); }
50%, 65% { transform: translateX(calc(var(--w) - var(--i) * var(--k))); }
}
@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
.ldr-shuttle-dots, .ldr-shuttle-dots *, .ldr-shuttle-dots::before, .ldr-shuttle-dots::after, .ldr-shuttle-dots *::before, .ldr-shuttle-dots *::after {
animation-duration: 3s;
}
}Customizing this loader
- Color: set
--ldr-coloron the element or a parent. Currently previewing#3b82f6. - Size: set
--ldr-size. Every dimension in the snippet is derived from it. Currently previewing64px. - Speed: change the duration on the
animationshorthand. Delays on the children are relative, so they keep their rhythm. - Accessibility: the root carries
role="status"and anaria-labelso screen readers announce the wait. The reduced-motion rule at the end slows the animation for users who asked for less motion.