diff --git a/spec/custom_drivers_types_spec.cr b/spec/custom_drivers_types_spec.cr
index 8f4a0ca..7b868a6 100644
--- a/spec/custom_drivers_types_spec.cr
+++ b/spec/custom_drivers_types_spec.cr
@@ -43,8 +43,8 @@ class FooDriver < DB::Driver
     @@row
   end
 
-  def build_connection(db : DB::Database) : DB::Connection
-    FooConnection.new(db)
+  def build_connection(context : DB::ConnectionContext) : DB::Connection
+    FooConnection.new(context)
   end
 
   class FooConnection < DB::Connection
@@ -106,8 +106,8 @@ class BarDriver < DB::Driver
     @@row
   end
 
-  def build_connection(db : DB::Database) : DB::Connection
-    BarConnection.new(db)
+  def build_connection(context : DB::ConnectionContext) : DB::Connection
+    BarConnection.new(context)
   end
 
   class BarConnection < DB::Connection
diff --git a/spec/db_spec.cr b/spec/db_spec.cr
index c619c9d..d5836c3 100644
--- a/spec/db_spec.cr
+++ b/spec/db_spec.cr
@@ -25,6 +25,25 @@ describe DB do
     connections.first.closed?.should be_true
   end
 
+  it "should create a connection and close it" do
+    DummyDriver::DummyConnection.clear_connections
+    DB.connect "dummy://localhost" do |cnn|
+      cnn.should be_a(DummyDriver::DummyConnection)
+    end
+    connections.size.should eq(1)
+    connections.first.closed?.should be_true
+  end
+
+  it "should create a connection and wait for explicit closing" do
+    DummyDriver::DummyConnection.clear_connections
+    cnn = DB.connect "dummy://localhost"
+    cnn.should be_a(DummyDriver::DummyConnection)
+    connections.size.should eq(1)
+    connections.first.closed?.should be_false
+    cnn.close
+    connections.first.closed?.should be_true
+  end
+
   it "query should close result_set" do
     with_witness do |w|
       with_dummy do |db|
diff --git a/spec/dummy_driver.cr b/spec/dummy_driver.cr
index a5980ac..cda056e 100644
--- a/spec/dummy_driver.cr
+++ b/spec/dummy_driver.cr
@@ -2,13 +2,13 @@ require "spec"
 require "../src/db"
 
 class DummyDriver < DB::Driver
-  def build_connection(db : DB::Database) : DB::Connection
-    DummyConnection.new(db)
+  def build_connection(context : DB::ConnectionContext) : DB::Connection
+    DummyConnection.new(context)
   end
 
   class DummyConnection < DB::Connection
-    def initialize(db)
-      super(db)
+    def initialize(context)
+      super(context)
       @connected = true
       @@connections ||= [] of DummyConnection
       @@connections.not_nil! << self
diff --git a/src/db.cr b/src/db.cr
index df0ee2a..12f105b 100644
--- a/src/db.cr
+++ b/src/db.cr
@@ -113,12 +113,42 @@ module DB
     end
   end
 
+  # Opens a connection using the specified *uri*.
+  # The scheme of the *uri* determines the driver to use.
+  # Returned connection must be closed by `Connection#close`.
+  # If a block is used the connection is yielded and closed automatically.
+  def self.connect(uri : URI | String)
+    build_connection(uri)
+  end
+
+  # ditto
+  def self.connect(uri : URI | String, &block)
+    cnn = build_connection(uri)
+    begin
+      yield cnn
+    ensure
+      cnn.close
+    end
+  end
+
   private def self.build_database(connection_string : String)
     build_database(URI.parse(connection_string))
   end
 
   private def self.build_database(uri : URI)
-    Database.new(driver_class(uri.scheme).new, uri)
+    Database.new(build_driver(uri), uri)
+  end
+
+  private def self.build_connection(connection_string : String)
+    build_connection(URI.parse(connection_string))
+  end
+
+  private def self.build_connection(uri : URI)
+    build_driver(uri).build_connection(SingleConnectionContext.new(uri)).as(Connection)
+  end
+
+  private def self.build_driver(uri : URI)
+    driver_class(uri.scheme).new
   end
 
   # :nodoc:
@@ -144,6 +174,7 @@ require "./db/disposable"
 require "./db/driver"
 require "./db/statement"
 require "./db/begin_transaction"
+require "./db/connection_context"
 require "./db/connection"
 require "./db/transaction"
 require "./db/statement"
diff --git a/src/db/connection.cr b/src/db/connection.cr
index d2ca57c..9b742fb 100644
--- a/src/db/connection.cr
+++ b/src/db/connection.cr
@@ -24,15 +24,15 @@ module DB
     include BeginTransaction
 
     # :nodoc:
-    getter database
+    getter context
     @statements_cache = StringKeyCache(Statement).new
     @transaction = false
     getter? prepared_statements : Bool
     # :nodoc:
     property auto_release : Bool = true
 
-    def initialize(@database : Database)
-      @prepared_statements = @database.prepared_statements?
+    def initialize(@context : ConnectionContext)
+      @prepared_statements = @context.prepared_statements?
     end
 
     # :nodoc:
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ module DB
     protected def do_close
       @statements_cache.each_value &.close
       @statements_cache.clear
-      @database.pool.delete self
+      @context.discard self
     end
 
     # :nodoc:
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ module DB
     # managed by the database. Should be used
     # only if the connection was obtained by `Database#checkout`.
     def release
-      @database.return_to_pool(self)
+      @context.release(self)
     end
 
     # :nodoc:
diff --git a/src/db/connection_context.cr b/src/db/connection_context.cr
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..31e81d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/db/connection_context.cr
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+module DB
+  module ConnectionContext
+    # Returns the uri with the connection settings to the database
+    abstract def uri : URI
+
+    # Return whether the statements should be prepared by default
+    abstract def prepared_statements? : Bool
+
+    # Indicates that the *connection* was permanently closed
+    # and should not be used in the future.
+    abstract def discard(connection : Connection)
+
+    # Indicates that the *connection* is no longer needed
+    # and can be reused in the future.
+    abstract def release(connection : Connection)
+  end
+
+  # :nodoc:
+  class SingleConnectionContext
+    include ConnectionContext
+
+    getter uri : URI
+    getter? prepared_statements : Bool
+
+    def initialize(@uri : URI)
+      params = HTTP::Params.parse(uri.query || "")
+      @prepared_statements = DB.fetch_bool(params, "prepared_statements", true)
+    end
+
+    def discard(connection : Connection)
+    end
+
+    def release(connection : Connection)
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/src/db/database.cr b/src/db/database.cr
index 9c1d8ba..235edfe 100644
--- a/src/db/database.cr
+++ b/src/db/database.cr
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ module DB
   # Refer to `QueryMethods` and `SessionMethods` for documentation about querying the database.
   class Database
     include SessionMethods(Database, PoolStatement)
+    include ConnectionContext
 
     # :nodoc:
     getter driver
@@ -68,6 +69,16 @@ module DB
       @pool.close
     end
 
+    # :nodoc:
+    def discard(connection : Connection)
+      @pool.delete connection
+    end
+
+    # :nodoc:
+    def release(connection : Connection)
+      @pool.release connection
+    end
+
     # :nodoc:
     def fetch_or_build_prepared_statement(query)
       @statements_cache.fetch(query) { build_prepared_statement(query) }
@@ -88,11 +99,6 @@ module DB
       @pool.checkout_some candidates
     end
 
-    # :nodoc:
-    def return_to_pool(connection)
-      @pool.release connection
-    end
-
     # yields a connection from the pool
     # the connection is returned to the pool
     # when the block ends
diff --git a/src/db/driver.cr b/src/db/driver.cr
index d2d7c94..5df46a2 100644
--- a/src/db/driver.cr
+++ b/src/db/driver.cr
@@ -6,9 +6,9 @@ module DB
   # ```
   # require "db"
   #
-  # class FakeDriver < Driver
-  #   def build_connection(db)
-  #     FakeConnection.new db
+  # class FakeDriver < DB::Driver
+  #   def build_connection(context : DB::ConnectionContext)
+  #     FakeConnection.new context
   #   end
   # end
   #
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ module DB
   # Refer to `Connection`, `Statement` and `ResultSet` for further
   # driver implementation instructions.
   abstract class Driver
-    abstract def build_connection(db : Database) : Connection
+    abstract def build_connection(context : ConnectionContext) : Connection
 
     def connection_pool_options(params : HTTP::Params)
       {