--- a/dbapi.py	Thu Jun 20 16:19:27 2013 +0200
+++ b/dbapi.py	Mon Jun 17 15:00:41 2013 +0200
@@ -37,10 +37,10 @@
 from logilab.common.decorators import monkeypatch, cachedproperty
 from logilab.common.deprecation import deprecated
 
-from cubicweb import ETYPE_NAME_MAP, ConnectionError, AuthenticationError,\
+from cubicweb import ETYPE_NAME_MAP, AuthenticationError,\
      cwvreg, cwconfig
+from cubicweb.repoapi import get_repository
 from cubicweb.req import RequestSessionBase
-from cubicweb.utils import parse_repo_uri
 
 
 _MARKER = object()
@@ -91,51 +91,7 @@
         self.close_on_del = close
 
 
-def _get_inmemory_repo(config, vreg=None):
-    from cubicweb.server.repository import Repository
-    from cubicweb.server.utils import TasksManager
-    return Repository(config, TasksManager(), vreg=vreg)
 
-def get_repository(uri=None, config=None, vreg=None):
-    """get a repository for the given URI or config/vregistry (in case we're
-    loading the repository for a client, eg web server, configuration).
-
-    The returned repository may be an in-memory repository or a proxy object
-    using a specific RPC method, depending on the given URI (pyro or zmq).
-    """
-    if uri is None:
-        return _get_inmemory_repo(config, vreg)
-
-    protocol, hostport, appid = parse_repo_uri(uri)
-
-    if protocol == 'inmemory':
-        # me may have been called with a dummy 'inmemory://' uri ...
-        return _get_inmemory_repo(config, vreg)
-
-    if protocol == 'pyroloc': # direct connection to the instance
-        from logilab.common.pyro_ext import get_proxy
-        uri = uri.replace('pyroloc', 'PYRO')
-        return get_proxy(uri)
-
-    if protocol == 'pyro': # connection mediated through the pyro ns
-        from logilab.common.pyro_ext import ns_get_proxy
-        path = appid.strip('/')
-        if not path:
-            raise ConnectionError(
-                "can't find instance name in %s (expected to be the path component)"
-                % uri)
-        if '.' in path:
-            nsgroup, nsid = path.rsplit('.', 1)
-        else:
-            nsgroup = 'cubicweb'
-            nsid = path
-        return ns_get_proxy(nsid, defaultnsgroup=nsgroup, nshost=hostport)
-
-    if protocol.startswith('zmqpickle-'):
-        from cubicweb.zmqclient import ZMQRepositoryClient
-        return ZMQRepositoryClient(uri)
-    else:
-        raise ConnectionError('unknown protocol: `%s`' % protocol)
 
 
 def _repo_connect(repo, login, **kwargs):

--- /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+++ b/repoapi.py	Mon Jun 17 15:00:41 2013 +0200
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+# copyright 2013-2013 LOGILAB S.A. (Paris, FRANCE), all rights reserved.
+# contact http://www.logilab.fr/ -- mailto:contact@logilab.fr
+#
+# This file is part of CubicWeb.
+#
+# CubicWeb is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
+# terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by the Free
+# Software Foundation, either version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option)
+# any later version.
+#
+# CubicWeb is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+# ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS
+# FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU Lesser General Public License for more
+# details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License along
+# with CubicWeb.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+"""Official API to access the content of a repository
+"""
+from cubicweb.utils import parse_repo_uri
+from cubicweb import ConnectionError
+
+### private function for specific method ############################
+
+def _get_inmemory_repo(config, vreg=None):
+    from cubicweb.server.repository import Repository
+    from cubicweb.server.utils import TasksManager
+    return Repository(config, TasksManager(), vreg=vreg)
+
+
+### public API ######################################################
+
+def get_repository(uri=None, config=None, vreg=None):
+    """get a repository for the given URI or config/vregistry (in case we're
+    loading the repository for a client, eg web server, configuration).
+
+    The returned repository may be an in-memory repository or a proxy object
+    using a specific RPC method, depending on the given URI (pyro or zmq).
+    """
+    if uri is None:
+        return _get_inmemory_repo(config, vreg)
+
+    protocol, hostport, appid = parse_repo_uri(uri)
+
+    if protocol == 'inmemory':
+        # me may have been called with a dummy 'inmemory://' uri ...
+        return _get_inmemory_repo(config, vreg)
+
+    if protocol == 'pyroloc':  # direct connection to the instance
+        from logilab.common.pyro_ext import get_proxy
+        uri = uri.replace('pyroloc', 'PYRO')
+        return get_proxy(uri)
+
+    if protocol == 'pyro':  # connection mediated through the pyro ns
+        from logilab.common.pyro_ext import ns_get_proxy
+        path = appid.strip('/')
+        if not path:
+            raise ConnectionError(
+                "can't find instance name in %s (expected to be the path component)"
+                % uri)
+        if '.' in path:
+            nsgroup, nsid = path.rsplit('.', 1)
+        else:
+            nsgroup = 'cubicweb'
+            nsid = path
+        return ns_get_proxy(nsid, defaultnsgroup=nsgroup, nshost=hostport)
+
+    if protocol.startswith('zmqpickle-'):
+        from cubicweb.zmqclient import ZMQRepositoryClient
+        return ZMQRepositoryClient(uri)
+    else:
+        raise ConnectionError('unknown protocol: `%s`' % protocol)
+