diff --git a/sqlx-core/src/decode.rs b/sqlx-core/src/decode.rs
index 3381fa79..f1551a23 100644
--- a/sqlx-core/src/decode.rs
+++ b/sqlx-core/src/decode.rs
@@ -6,12 +6,15 @@ use crate::database::HasRawValue;
 use crate::Database;
 
 /// A type that can be decoded from a SQL value.
-pub trait Decode<'r, Db: Database>: Sized + Send + Sync {
-    fn decode(value: <Db as HasRawValue<'r>>::RawValue) -> Result<Self>;
+pub trait Decode<'r, Db: Database>: Send + Sync {
+    fn decode(value: <Db as HasRawValue<'r>>::RawValue) -> Result<Self>
+    where
+        Self: Sized;
 }
 
 /// A type that can be decoded from a SQL value, without borrowing any data
 /// from the row.
+#[allow(clippy::module_name_repetitions)]
 pub trait DecodeOwned<Db: Database>: for<'r> Decode<'r, Db> {}
 
 impl<T, Db: Database> DecodeOwned<Db> for T where T: for<'r> Decode<'r, Db> {}
@@ -33,6 +36,13 @@ pub enum Error {
     Custom(Box<dyn StdError + Send + Sync>),
 }
 
+impl Error {
+    #[doc(hidden)]
+    pub fn msg<D: Display>(msg: D) -> Self {
+        Self::Custom(msg.to_string().into())
+    }
+}
+
 impl Display for Error {
     fn fmt(&self, f: &mut Formatter<'_>) -> fmt::Result {
         match self {
diff --git a/sqlx-core/src/encode.rs b/sqlx-core/src/encode.rs
index 81df1480..a071a608 100644
--- a/sqlx-core/src/encode.rs
+++ b/sqlx-core/src/encode.rs
@@ -6,14 +6,8 @@ use crate::Database;
 
 /// A type that can be encoded into a SQL value.
 pub trait Encode<Db: Database>: Send + Sync {
-    /// Encode this value into a SQL value.
+    /// Encode this value into the specified SQL type.
     fn encode(&self, ty: &Db::TypeInfo, out: &mut <Db as HasOutput<'_>>::Output) -> Result<()>;
-
-    #[doc(hidden)]
-    #[inline]
-    fn __type_name(&self) -> &'static str {
-        std::any::type_name::<Self>()
-    }
 }
 
 impl<T: Encode<Db>, Db: Database> Encode<Db> for &T {
@@ -31,6 +25,13 @@ pub enum Error {
     Custom(Box<dyn StdError + Send + Sync>),
 }
 
+impl Error {
+    #[doc(hidden)]
+    pub fn msg<D: Display>(msg: D) -> Self {
+        Self::Custom(msg.to_string().into())
+    }
+}
+
 impl Display for Error {
     fn fmt(&self, f: &mut Formatter<'_>) -> fmt::Result {
         match self {
diff --git a/sqlx-core/src/lib.rs b/sqlx-core/src/lib.rs
index 8bd02687..04b75f8e 100644
--- a/sqlx-core/src/lib.rs
+++ b/sqlx-core/src/lib.rs
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 #![allow(clippy::clippy::missing_errors_doc)]
 
 mod acquire;
+mod arguments;
 mod close;
 mod column;
 mod connect;
@@ -32,6 +33,8 @@ mod options;
 mod query_result;
 pub mod row;
 mod runtime;
+mod r#type;
+mod type_info;
 
 #[doc(hidden)]
 pub mod io;
@@ -47,6 +50,7 @@ pub mod mock;
 pub mod blocking;
 
 pub use acquire::Acquire;
+pub use arguments::{Argument, Arguments};
 #[cfg(feature = "blocking")]
 pub use blocking::runtime::Blocking;
 pub use close::Close;
@@ -60,6 +64,7 @@ pub use error::{DatabaseError, Error, Result};
 pub use executor::Executor;
 pub use options::ConnectOptions;
 pub use query_result::QueryResult;
+pub use r#type::{Type, TypeEncode, TypeDecode};
 pub use row::Row;
 #[cfg(feature = "actix")]
 pub use runtime::Actix;
@@ -70,3 +75,4 @@ pub use runtime::AsyncStd;
 pub use runtime::Runtime;
 #[cfg(feature = "tokio")]
 pub use runtime::Tokio;
+pub use type_info::TypeInfo;
diff --git a/sqlx-core/src/type.rs b/sqlx-core/src/type.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..20f79e28
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sqlx-core/src/type.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+use crate::{Database, Decode, Encode, TypeInfo};
+
+// NOTE: The interface here is not final. There are some special considerations
+//       for MSSQL and Postgres (Arrays and Ranges) that need careful handling
+//       to ensure we correctly cover them.
+
+/// Indicates that a SQL type is supported for a database.
+pub trait Type<Db: Database> {
+    /// Returns the canonical SQL type identifier for this Rust type.
+    ///
+    /// When binding arguments, this is used to tell the database what is about to be sent; which,
+    /// the database then uses to guide query plans. This can be overridden by [`type_id_of`].
+    ///
+    /// A map of SQL types to Rust types is populated with this and used
+    /// to determine the type that is returned from the anonymous struct type from [`query!`].
+    ///
+    fn type_id() -> Db::TypeId
+    where
+        Self: Sized;
+
+    /// Determines if this Rust type is compatible with the specified SQL type.
+    ///
+    /// To be compatible, the Rust type must support encoding _and_ decoding
+    /// from the specified SQL type.
+    ///
+    fn compatible(ty: &Db::TypeInfo) -> bool
+    where
+        Self: Sized,
+    {
+        ty.id() == Self::type_id()
+    }
+}
+
+#[allow(clippy::module_name_repetitions)]
+pub trait TypeEncode<Db: Database>: Type<Db> + Encode<Db> {
+    /// Returns the SQL type identifier that best hints to the database
+    /// at the incoming value for a bind parameter.
+    #[allow(unused_variables)]
+    fn type_id_of(&self, ty: &Db::TypeInfo) -> Db::TypeId;
+
+    /// Returns the Rust type name of this.
+    #[doc(hidden)]
+    #[inline]
+    fn __rust_type_name_of(&self) -> &'static str {
+        std::any::type_name::<Self>()
+    }
+}
+
+#[allow(clippy::module_name_repetitions)]
+pub trait TypeDecode<'r, Db: Database>: Type<Db> + Decode<'r, Db> {}
+
+impl<'r, T: Type<Db> + Decode<'r, Db>, Db: Database> TypeDecode<'r, Db> for T {}