anchor.diff:  }
   ----
   
  -`prefix`:: The address prefix. All messages that match this prefix will be distributed according to the distribution pattern you specify.
  +`prefix` | `pattern`:: The address or group of addresses to which the address settings should be applied. You can specify a prefix to match an exact address or beginning segment of an address. Alternatively, you can specify a pattern to match an address using wildcards.
   +
   //tag::prefix-matching[]
  -The prefix can match either an exact address or a segment within an address that is delimited by either a `.` or `/` character. For example, the prefix `my_address` would match the address `my_address` as well as `my_address.1` and `my_address/1`. However, it would not match `my_address1`.
  +A _prefix_ matches either an exact address or the beginning segment within an address that is delimited by either a `.` or `/` character. For example, the prefix `my_address` would match the address `my_address` as well as `my_address.1` and `my_address/1`. However, it would not match `my_address1`.
   //end::prefix-matching[]
  ++
  +//tag::pattern-matching[]
  +A _pattern_ matches an address that corresponds to a pattern. A pattern is a sequence of words delimited by either a `.` or `/` character. You can use wildcard characters to represent a word. The  `*` character matches exactly one word, and the `#` character matches any sequence of zero or more words.
  ++
  +The `*` and `#` characters are reserved as wildcards. Therefore, you should not use them in the message address.
  ++
  +The following table shows some examples of address patterns:
  ++
  +[cols="25,75"]
  +|===
  +| This pattern... | Matches...
  +| `news`          | `news`
  +| `news/*/sports` | `news/europe/sports` and `news/usa/sports`, but not `news`  or `news/europe/fr/sports`
  +| `news/#`        | `news`, `news/europe`, `news/usa`, `news/usa/sports`
  +|===
  ++
  +[NOTE]
  +====
  +You can convert a `prefix` value to a `pattern` by appending `/\#` to it. For example, the prefix `a/b/c` is equivalent to the pattern `a/b/c/#`.
  +====
  +//end::pattern-matching[]
   
   `distribution`:: The message distribution pattern. The default is `balanced`, but you can specify any of the following options:
   +
  
positive.code: }
  ----
  
  `prefix`:: The address prefix that matches the broker queue to which you want to receive messages. All messages that match this prefix will be distributed along the link route.
  +
  include::routing.adoc[tags=prefix-matching]
  `connection` | `containerID`:: How the router should connect to the broker. You can specify either an outgoing connection (`connection`) or the container ID of the broker (`containerID`).
  +
  If multiple brokers are connected to the router through this connection, requests for addresses matching the link route's prefix are balanced across the brokers. Alternatively, if you want to specify a particular broker, use `containerID` and add the broker's container ID.
  `dir`:: Set this attribute to `out` to specify that this link route is for receivers.
  
  For information about additional attributes, see xref:router_configuration_file_linkroute[linkRoute] in the _Configuration Reference_.
  
negative.code: }
  ----
  
  `prefix` | `pattern`:: The address prefix or pattern that matches the broker queue to which you want to send messages. You can specify a prefix to match an exact address or beginning segment of an address. Alternatively, you can specify a pattern to match an address using wildcards.
  +
  include::routing.adoc[tags=prefix-matching]
  +
  include::routing.adoc[tags=pattern-matching]
  
  `waypoint`:: Set this attribute to `yes` so that the router handles messages sent to this address as a waypoint.
  --
  