title: What's the difference between "direct:" and to() in Apache Camel?
body: <p>The <a href="http://camel.apache.org/direct.html" rel="noreferrer">DirectComponent documentation</a> gives the following example:</p>
  
  <pre><code>from("activemq:queue:order.in")
      .to("bean:orderServer?method=validate")
      .to("direct:processOrder");
  
  from("direct:processOrder")
      .to("bean:orderService?method=process")
      .to("activemq:queue:order.out");
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Is there any difference between that and the following?</p>
  
  <pre><code>from("activemq:queue:order.in")
      .to("bean:orderServer?method=validate")
      .to("bean:orderService?method=process")
      .to("activemq:queue:order.out");
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I've tried to find documentation on what the behaviour of the to() method is on the Java DSL, but beyond the <a href="http://camel.apache.org/maven/current/camel-core/apidocs/org/apache/camel/model/ProcessorDefinition.html#to%28java.lang.String%29" rel="noreferrer">RouteDefinition javadoc</a> (which gives the very curt "Sends the exchange to the given endpoint") I've come up blank :(</p>