What Is the Laser Loader?
The Laser Loader in Classic Monks adds a laser-style progress bar that sweeps across the page as it loads. It shows visitors that the page is loading, reducing perceived wait time.
This is a visual enhancement only. It does not affect the actual load time; it only changes how the load time is perceived.
Why You Need It
- Perceived performance: A progress bar makes the site feel faster
- User confidence: Visitors know the page is loading
- Brand consistency: The loader can match your brand colors and style
- Professional feel: A progress bar signals modern, well-built software
How to Enable the Laser Loader
Step 1: Navigate to Settings
Click into the Classic Monks plugin settings, then the Interface tab, Laser Loader subtab.
Step 2: Enable Laser Loader
Toggle on Enable Laser Loader.
Step 3: Configure Options (Optional)
Toggle on the specific options you want:
| Option | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Hide on Mobile Devices | Prevents the progress bar from appearing on phones and tablets where loading animations are less effective. | Off |
| Show on AJAX Requests | Displays the progress bar when the page is making background requests (e.g., loading more posts, form submissions). | Off |
| Auto Start on Link Click | Starts the progress bar automatically when a visitor clicks any internal link, before the browser starts loading. | Off |
| Show Percentage | Displays a percentage indicator showing how much of the page has loaded. | Off |
| RTL Support | The progress bar moves from right to left for Arabic, Hebrew, and other RTL languages. | Off |
| Shadow Effect | Adds a glowing, neon-like shadow effect to the progress bar. | Off |
Step 4: Save and Test
Click Save Changes. Visit the frontend and navigate between pages. Verify the laser loader behavior matches your configuration.
Configuration Options
| Option | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Enable Laser Loader | Master toggle. | Off |
| Hide on Mobile Devices | Prevents the loader on phones and tablets. | Off |
| Show on AJAX Requests | Shows the loader during background requests. | Off |
| Auto Start on Link Click | Starts the loader on link click. | Off |
| Show Percentage | Displays load percentage. | Off |
| RTL Support | Right-to-left progress bar direction. | Off |
| Shadow Effect | Glowing neon-like effect. | Off |
What Gets Affected
- The frontend: progress bar appears during page navigation
- The page load: the progress bar shows while the page loads
- The user experience: smoother perceived performance
What Does NOT Get Affected
- The actual load time: unchanged (visual only)
- The page content: unchanged
- The search engine indexing: unchanged
Common Use Cases
Content-heavy sites
For blogs and news sites with long articles, a progress bar shows visitors how far the page has loaded. This reduces the “is it loading?” anxiety on slow connections.
E-commerce sites
A laser-style loader on product pages shows the page loading progress. Visitors are more patient when they can see progress.
Client demonstrations
When showing a site to clients, a laser loader creates a professional, modern impression.
RTL sites
For Arabic, Hebrew, and other RTL language sites, the RTL support option ensures the progress bar moves in the correct direction.
AJAX-heavy sites
For sites that load content via AJAX (infinite scroll, form submissions, tab switching), the AJAX option shows the loader during these operations.