diff --git a/doc/source/rayserve/overview.rst b/doc/source/rayserve/overview.rst
index 0c3ec2ea4..8c62e958b 100644
--- a/doc/source/rayserve/overview.rst
+++ b/doc/source/rayserve/overview.rst
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ It's trivial to also split traffic, simply specify the endpoint and the backends
   serve.create_endpoint("endpoint_identifier_split", "/split", methods=["GET", "POST"])
 
   # splitting traffic 70/30
-  serve.split("endpoint_identifier_split", {"my_endpoint_backend": 0.7, "my_endpoint_backend_class": 0.3})
+  serve.set_traffic("endpoint_identifier_split", {"my_endpoint_backend": 0.7, "my_endpoint_backend_class": 0.3})
 
 
 Batching
diff --git a/python/ray/serve/__init__.py b/python/ray/serve/__init__.py
index b4e49f82f..48fdb9bb3 100644
--- a/python/ray/serve/__init__.py
+++ b/python/ray/serve/__init__.py
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 from ray.serve.backend_config import BackendConfig
 from ray.serve.policy import RoutePolicy
-from ray.serve.api import (init, create_backend, create_endpoint, link, split,
+from ray.serve.api import (init, create_backend, create_endpoint, set_traffic,
                            get_handle, stat, set_backend_config,
                            get_backend_config, accept_batch)  # noqa: E402
 
 __all__ = [
-    "init", "create_backend", "create_endpoint", "link", "split", "get_handle",
+    "init", "create_backend", "create_endpoint", "set_traffic", "get_handle",
     "stat", "set_backend_config", "get_backend_config", "BackendConfig",
     "RoutePolicy", "accept_batch"
 ]
diff --git a/python/ray/serve/api.py b/python/ray/serve/api.py
index 7e1006b2e..5d32b94b9 100644
--- a/python/ray/serve/api.py
+++ b/python/ray/serve/api.py
@@ -246,28 +246,12 @@ def create_backend(func_or_class,
 
 
 @_ensure_connected
-def link(endpoint_name, backend_tag):
-    """Associate a service endpoint with backend tag.
-
-    Example:
-
-    >>> serve.link("service-name", "backend:v1")
-
-    Note:
-    This is equivalent to
-
-    >>> serve.split("service-name", {"backend:v1": 1.0})
-    """
-    split(endpoint_name, {backend_tag: 1.0})
-
-
-@_ensure_connected
-def split(endpoint_name, traffic_policy_dictionary):
+def set_traffic(endpoint_name, traffic_policy_dictionary):
     """Associate a service endpoint with traffic policy.
 
     Example:
 
-    >>> serve.split("service-name", {
+    >>> serve.set_traffic("service-name", {
         "backend:v1": 0.5,
         "backend:v2": 0.5
     })
@@ -278,8 +262,8 @@ def split(endpoint_name, traffic_policy_dictionary):
             to their traffic weights. The weights must sum to 1.
     """
     ray.get(
-        master_actor.split_traffic.remote(endpoint_name,
-                                          traffic_policy_dictionary))
+        master_actor.set_traffic.remote(endpoint_name,
+                                        traffic_policy_dictionary))
 
 
 @_ensure_connected
diff --git a/python/ray/serve/examples/benchmark.py b/python/ray/serve/examples/benchmark.py
index 6a631f546..08be5af80 100644
--- a/python/ray/serve/examples/benchmark.py
+++ b/python/ray/serve/examples/benchmark.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ def noop(_):
 
 serve.create_endpoint("noop", "/noop")
 serve.create_backend(noop, "noop")
-serve.split("noop", {"noop": 1.0})
+serve.set_traffic("noop", {"noop": 1.0})
 
 url = "{}/noop".format(DEFAULT_HTTP_ADDRESS)
 while requests.get(url).status_code == 404:
diff --git a/python/ray/serve/examples/doc/quickstart_class.py b/python/ray/serve/examples/doc/quickstart_class.py
index e48cb512f..99a830696 100644
--- a/python/ray/serve/examples/doc/quickstart_class.py
+++ b/python/ray/serve/examples/doc/quickstart_class.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ class Counter:
 
 serve.create_endpoint("counter", "/counter")
 serve.create_backend(Counter, "counter")
-serve.split("counter", {"counter": 1.0})
+serve.set_traffic("counter", {"counter": 1.0})
 
 requests.get("http://127.0.0.1:8000/counter").json()
 # > {"current_counter": self.count}
diff --git a/python/ray/serve/examples/doc/quickstart_function.py b/python/ray/serve/examples/doc/quickstart_function.py
index 9a455c0d0..dd7014c5c 100644
--- a/python/ray/serve/examples/doc/quickstart_function.py
+++ b/python/ray/serve/examples/doc/quickstart_function.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ def echo(flask_request):
 
 serve.create_endpoint("hello", "/hello")
 serve.create_backend(echo, "hello")
-serve.split("hello", {"hello": 1.0})
+serve.set_traffic("hello", {"hello": 1.0})
 
 requests.get("http://127.0.0.1:8000/hello").text
 # > "hello serve!"
diff --git a/python/ray/serve/examples/echo.py b/python/ray/serve/examples/echo.py
index 9a5464ea9..e7233825b 100644
--- a/python/ray/serve/examples/echo.py
+++ b/python/ray/serve/examples/echo.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ serve.init(blocking=True)
 
 serve.create_endpoint("my_endpoint", "/echo")
 serve.create_backend(echo, "echo:v1")
-serve.link("my_endpoint", "echo:v1")
+serve.set_traffic("my_endpoint", {"echo:v1": 1.0})
 
 while True:
     resp = requests.get("http://127.0.0.1:8000/echo").json()
diff --git a/python/ray/serve/examples/echo_actor.py b/python/ray/serve/examples/echo_actor.py
index 28f782708..56e660f7e 100644
--- a/python/ray/serve/examples/echo_actor.py
+++ b/python/ray/serve/examples/echo_actor.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ class MagicCounter:
 serve.init(blocking=True)
 serve.create_endpoint("magic_counter", "/counter")
 serve.create_backend(MagicCounter, "counter:v1", 42)  # increment=42
-serve.link("magic_counter", "counter:v1")
+serve.set_traffic("magic_counter", {"counter:v1": 1.0})
 
 print("Sending ten queries via HTTP")
 for i in range(10):
diff --git a/python/ray/serve/examples/echo_actor_batch.py b/python/ray/serve/examples/echo_actor_batch.py
index da1c13fd0..865d70d50 100644
--- a/python/ray/serve/examples/echo_actor_batch.py
+++ b/python/ray/serve/examples/echo_actor_batch.py
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ serve.create_endpoint("magic_counter", "/counter")
 b_config = BackendConfig(max_batch_size=5)
 serve.create_backend(
     MagicCounter, "counter:v1", 42, backend_config=b_config)  # increment=42
-serve.link("magic_counter", "counter:v1")
+serve.set_traffic("magic_counter", {"counter:v1": 1.0})
 
 print("Sending ten queries via HTTP")
 for i in range(10):
diff --git a/python/ray/serve/examples/echo_batching.py b/python/ray/serve/examples/echo_batching.py
index 79568b443..55ea3c6af 100644
--- a/python/ray/serve/examples/echo_batching.py
+++ b/python/ray/serve/examples/echo_batching.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ serve.create_backend(
     MagicCounter, "counter:v1", 42, backend_config=b_config)  # increment=42
 print("Backend Config for backend: 'counter:v1'")
 print(b_config)
-serve.link("magic_counter", "counter:v1")
+serve.set_traffic("magic_counter", {"counter:v1": 1.0})
 
 handle = serve.get_handle("magic_counter")
 future_list = []
diff --git a/python/ray/serve/examples/echo_error.py b/python/ray/serve/examples/echo_error.py
index 0cb25ee10..a5d74d2d2 100644
--- a/python/ray/serve/examples/echo_error.py
+++ b/python/ray/serve/examples/echo_error.py
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ serve.init(blocking=True)
 
 serve.create_endpoint("my_endpoint", "/echo")
 serve.create_backend(echo, "echo:v1")
-serve.link("my_endpoint", "echo:v1")
+serve.set_traffic("my_endpoint", {"echo:v1": 1.0})
 
 for _ in range(2):
     resp = requests.get("http://127.0.0.1:8000/echo").json()
diff --git a/python/ray/serve/examples/echo_fixed_packing.py b/python/ray/serve/examples/echo_fixed_packing.py
index 1594771b6..7a8727dc4 100644
--- a/python/ray/serve/examples/echo_fixed_packing.py
+++ b/python/ray/serve/examples/echo_fixed_packing.py
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ serve.create_backend(echo_v1, "echo:v1")
 serve.create_backend(echo_v2, "echo:v2")
 
 # link and split the service to two backends
-serve.split("my_endpoint", {"echo:v1": 0.5, "echo:v2": 0.5})
+serve.set_traffic("my_endpoint", {"echo:v1": 0.5, "echo:v2": 0.5})
 
 while True:
     resp = requests.get("http://127.0.0.1:8000/echo").json()
diff --git a/python/ray/serve/examples/echo_full.py b/python/ray/serve/examples/echo_full.py
index 395d6fab0..3046005d4 100644
--- a/python/ray/serve/examples/echo_full.py
+++ b/python/ray/serve/examples/echo_full.py
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ backend_config_v1 = serve.get_backend_config("echo:v1")
 
 # We can link an endpoint to a backend, the means all the traffic
 # goes to my_endpoint will now goes to echo:v1 backend.
-serve.link("my_endpoint", "echo:v1")
+serve.set_traffic("my_endpoint", {"echo:v1": 1.0})
 
 print(requests.get("http://127.0.0.1:8000/echo", timeout=0.5).text)
 # The service will be reachable from http
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ serve.create_backend(echo_v2, "echo:v2")
 backend_config_v2 = serve.get_backend_config("echo:v2")
 
 # The two backend will now split the traffic 50%-50%.
-serve.split("my_endpoint", {"echo:v1": 0.5, "echo:v2": 0.5})
+serve.set_traffic("my_endpoint", {"echo:v1": 0.5, "echo:v2": 0.5})
 
 # Observe requests are now split between two backends.
 for _ in range(10):
diff --git a/python/ray/serve/examples/echo_pipeline.py b/python/ray/serve/examples/echo_pipeline.py
index 027323834..6c13cbfe0 100644
--- a/python/ray/serve/examples/echo_pipeline.py
+++ b/python/ray/serve/examples/echo_pipeline.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ def echo_v1(_, response="hello from python!"):
 
 serve.create_endpoint("echo_v1", "/echo_v1")
 serve.create_backend(echo_v1, "echo_v1")
-serve.split("echo_v1", {"echo_v1": 1.0})
+serve.set_traffic("echo_v1", {"echo_v1": 1.0})
 
 
 def echo_v2(_, relay=""):
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ def echo_v2(_, relay=""):
 
 serve.create_endpoint("echo_v2", "/echo_v2")
 serve.create_backend(echo_v2, "echo_v2")
-serve.split("echo_v2", {"echo_v2": 1.0})
+serve.set_traffic("echo_v2", {"echo_v2": 1.0})
 
 
 def echo_v3(_, relay=""):
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ def echo_v3(_, relay=""):
 
 serve.create_endpoint("echo_v3", "/echo_v3")
 serve.create_backend(echo_v3, "echo_v3")
-serve.split("echo_v3", {"echo_v3": 1.0})
+serve.set_traffic("echo_v3", {"echo_v3": 1.0})
 
 
 def echo_v4(_, relay1="", relay2=""):
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ def echo_v4(_, relay1="", relay2=""):
 
 serve.create_endpoint("echo_v4", "/echo_v4")
 serve.create_backend(echo_v4, "echo_v4")
-serve.split("echo_v4", {"echo_v4": 1.0})
+serve.set_traffic("echo_v4", {"echo_v4": 1.0})
 """
 The pipeline created is as follows -
             "my_endpoint1"
diff --git a/python/ray/serve/examples/echo_round_robin.py b/python/ray/serve/examples/echo_round_robin.py
index 05e674d8b..7ec7831de 100644
--- a/python/ray/serve/examples/echo_round_robin.py
+++ b/python/ray/serve/examples/echo_round_robin.py
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ serve.create_backend(echo_v1, "echo:v1")
 serve.create_backend(echo_v2, "echo:v2")
 
 # link and split the service to two backends
-serve.split("my_endpoint", {"echo:v1": 0.5, "echo:v2": 0.5})
+serve.set_traffic("my_endpoint", {"echo:v1": 0.5, "echo:v2": 0.5})
 
 while True:
     resp = requests.get("http://127.0.0.1:8000/echo").json()
diff --git a/python/ray/serve/examples/echo_slo_reverse.py b/python/ray/serve/examples/echo_slo_reverse.py
index 7232320f5..de4534bc3 100644
--- a/python/ray/serve/examples/echo_slo_reverse.py
+++ b/python/ray/serve/examples/echo_slo_reverse.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ def echo_v1(flask_request, response="hello from python!"):
 
 
 serve.create_backend(echo_v1, "echo:v1")
-serve.link("my_endpoint", "echo:v1")
+serve.set_traffic("my_endpoint", {"echo:v1": 1.0})
 
 # wait for routing table to get populated
 time.sleep(2)
diff --git a/python/ray/serve/examples/echo_split.py b/python/ray/serve/examples/echo_split.py
index dfb406065..171af21b9 100644
--- a/python/ray/serve/examples/echo_split.py
+++ b/python/ray/serve/examples/echo_split.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ serve.init(blocking=True)
 
 serve.create_endpoint("my_endpoint", "/echo")
 serve.create_backend(echo_v1, "echo:v1")
-serve.link("my_endpoint", "echo:v1")
+serve.set_traffic("my_endpoint", {"echo:v1": 1.0})
 
 for _ in range(3):
     resp = requests.get("http://127.0.0.1:8000/echo").json()
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ for _ in range(3):
     time.sleep(2)
 
 serve.create_backend(echo_v2, "echo:v2")
-serve.split("my_endpoint", {"echo:v1": 0.5, "echo:v2": 0.5})
+serve.set_traffic("my_endpoint", {"echo:v1": 0.5, "echo:v2": 0.5})
 while True:
     resp = requests.get("http://127.0.0.1:8000/echo").json()
     print(pformat_color_json(resp))
diff --git a/python/ray/serve/master.py b/python/ray/serve/master.py
index 89e0582b9..87a6f099f 100644
--- a/python/ray/serve/master.py
+++ b/python/ray/serve/master.py
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ class ServeMaster:
         return expand(
             self.route_table.list_service(include_headless=True).values())
 
-    async def split_traffic(self, endpoint_name, traffic_policy_dictionary):
+    async def set_traffic(self, endpoint_name, traffic_policy_dictionary):
         assert endpoint_name in expand(
             self.route_table.list_service(include_headless=True).values())
 
diff --git a/python/ray/serve/tests/test_api.py b/python/ray/serve/tests/test_api.py
index 8d25c1fac..dda46bfc5 100644
--- a/python/ray/serve/tests/test_api.py
+++ b/python/ray/serve/tests/test_api.py
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ def test_e2e(serve_instance):
         return {"method": flask_request.method}
 
     serve.create_backend(function, "echo:v1")
-    serve.link("endpoint", "echo:v1")
+    serve.set_traffic("endpoint", {"echo:v1": 1.0})
 
     resp = requests.get("http://127.0.0.1:8000/api").json()["method"]
     assert resp == "GET"
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ def test_no_route(serve_instance):
         return 1
 
     serve.create_backend(func, "backend:1")
-    serve.link("noroute-endpoint", "backend:1")
+    serve.set_traffic("noroute-endpoint", {"backend:1": 1.0})
     service_handle = serve.get_handle("noroute-endpoint")
     result = ray.get(service_handle.remote(i=1))
     assert result == 1
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ def test_scaling_replicas(serve_instance):
 
     b_config = BackendConfig(num_replicas=2)
     serve.create_backend(Counter, "counter:v1", backend_config=b_config)
-    serve.link("counter", "counter:v1")
+    serve.set_traffic("counter", {"counter:v1": 1.0})
 
     counter_result = []
     for _ in range(10):
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ def test_batching(serve_instance):
     b_config = BackendConfig(max_batch_size=5)
     serve.create_backend(
         BatchingExample, "counter:v11", backend_config=b_config)
-    serve.link("counter1", "counter:v11")
+    serve.set_traffic("counter1", {"counter:v11": 1.0})
 
     future_list = []
     handle = serve.get_handle("counter1")
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ def test_batching_exception(serve_instance):
     b_config = BackendConfig(max_batch_size=5)
     serve.create_backend(
         NoListReturned, "exception:v1", backend_config=b_config)
-    serve.link("exception-test", "exception:v1")
+    serve.set_traffic("exception-test", {"exception:v1": 1.0})
 
     handle = serve.get_handle("exception-test")
     with pytest.raises(ray.exceptions.RayTaskError):
diff --git a/python/ray/serve/tests/test_failure.py b/python/ray/serve/tests/test_failure.py
index 8d09a1f8b..ced123750 100644
--- a/python/ray/serve/tests/test_failure.py
+++ b/python/ray/serve/tests/test_failure.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ def test_http_proxy_failure(serve_instance):
         return "hello1"
 
     serve.create_backend(function, "proxy_failure:v1")
-    serve.link("proxy_failure", "proxy_failure:v1")
+    serve.set_traffic("proxy_failure", {"proxy_failure:v1": 1.0})
 
     assert request_with_retries("/proxy_failure", timeout=0.1).text == "hello1"
 
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ def test_http_proxy_failure(serve_instance):
         return "hello2"
 
     serve.create_backend(function, "proxy_failure:v2")
-    serve.link("proxy_failure", "proxy_failure:v2")
+    serve.set_traffic("proxy_failure", {"proxy_failure:v2": 1.0})
 
     for _ in range(10):
         response = request_with_retries("/proxy_failure", timeout=30)
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ def test_router_failure(serve_instance):
         return "hello1"
 
     serve.create_backend(function, "router_failure:v1")
-    serve.link("router_failure", "router_failure:v1")
+    serve.set_traffic("router_failure", {"router_failure:v1": 1.0})
 
     assert request_with_retries("/router_failure", timeout=5).text == "hello1"
 
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ def test_router_failure(serve_instance):
         return "hello2"
 
     serve.create_backend(function, "router_failure:v2")
-    serve.link("router_failure", "router_failure:v2")
+    serve.set_traffic("router_failure", {"router_failure:v2": 1.0})
 
     for _ in range(10):
         response = request_with_retries("/router_failure", timeout=30)
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ def test_worker_restart(serve_instance):
             return os.getpid()
 
     serve.create_backend(Worker1, "worker_failure:v1")
-    serve.link("worker_failure", "worker_failure:v1")
+    serve.set_traffic("worker_failure", {"worker_failure:v1": 1.0})
 
     # Get the PID of the worker.
     old_pid = request_with_retries("/worker_failure", timeout=0.1).text
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ def test_worker_replica_failure(serve_instance):
     backend_config = serve.get_backend_config("replica_failure")
     backend_config.num_replicas = 2
     serve.set_backend_config("replica_failure", backend_config)
-    serve.link("replica_failure", "replica_failure")
+    serve.set_traffic("replica_failure", {"replica_failure": 1.0})
 
     # Wait until both replicas have been started.
     responses = set()
diff --git a/python/ray/serve/tests/test_handle.py b/python/ray/serve/tests/test_handle.py
index 827100f21..039be2017 100644
--- a/python/ray/serve/tests/test_handle.py
+++ b/python/ray/serve/tests/test_handle.py
@@ -20,10 +20,10 @@ def test_handle_in_endpoint(serve_instance):
 
     serve.create_endpoint("endpoint1", "/endpoint1", methods=["GET", "POST"])
     serve.create_backend(Endpoint1, "endpoint1:v0")
-    serve.link("endpoint1", "endpoint1:v0")
+    serve.set_traffic("endpoint1", {"endpoint1:v0": 1.0})
 
     serve.create_endpoint("endpoint2", "/endpoint2", methods=["GET", "POST"])
     serve.create_backend(Endpoint2, "endpoint2:v0")
-    serve.link("endpoint2", "endpoint2:v0")
+    serve.set_traffic("endpoint2", {"endpoint2:v0": 1.0})
 
     assert requests.get("http://127.0.0.1:8000/endpoint2").text == "hello"
diff --git a/python/ray/serve/tests/test_persistence.py b/python/ray/serve/tests/test_persistence.py
index c242df8ad..780c2a02b 100644
--- a/python/ray/serve/tests/test_persistence.py
+++ b/python/ray/serve/tests/test_persistence.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ def driver(flask_request):
 
 serve.create_endpoint("driver", "/driver")
 serve.create_backend(driver, "driver")
-serve.split("driver", {{"driver": 1.0}})
+serve.set_traffic("driver", {{"driver": 1.0}})
 """.format(ray.worker._global_node._redis_address)
 
     with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(mode="w", delete=False) as f: