diff --git a/Gemfile.lock b/Gemfile.lock
index 315705e..a1a0622 100644
--- a/Gemfile.lock
+++ b/Gemfile.lock
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 PATH
   remote: .
   specs:
-    cool_id (0.1.0)
+    cool_id (0.1.1)
       activerecord (>= 6.0)
       activesupport (>= 6.0)
       nanoid (~> 2.0)
diff --git a/cool_id.gemspec b/cool_id.gemspec
index 3dcf13b..57e5417 100644
--- a/cool_id.gemspec
+++ b/cool_id.gemspec
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ Gem::Specification.new do |spec|
   spec.homepage = "https://github.com/schpet/cool_id"
   spec.required_ruby_version = ">= 3.0.0"
 
-  spec.metadata["allowed_push_host"] = "TODO: Set to your gem server 'https://example.com'"
+  # spec.metadata["allowed_push_host"] = "TODO: Set to your gem server 'https://example.com'"
 
   spec.metadata["homepage_uri"] = spec.homepage
   spec.metadata["source_code_uri"] = "https://github.com/schpet/cool_id"
diff --git a/lib/cool_id.rb b/lib/cool_id.rb
index a56088d..2a0e042 100644
--- a/lib/cool_id.rb
+++ b/lib/cool_id.rb
@@ -3,29 +3,46 @@
 require_relative "cool_id/version"
 require "nanoid"
 require "active_support/concern"
-require "active_record"
 
 module CoolId
   class Error < StandardError; end
 
+  DEFAULT_SEPARATOR = "_"
+  DEFAULT_ALPHABET = "0123456789abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz"
+  DEFAULT_LENGTH = 12
+
+  Id = Struct.new(:key, :prefix, :id, :model_class)
+
   class << self
-    attr_accessor :separator
+    attr_accessor :separator, :alphabet, :length
 
     def configure
       yield self
     end
 
+    def reset_configuration
+      self.separator = DEFAULT_SEPARATOR
+      self.alphabet = DEFAULT_ALPHABET
+      self.length = DEFAULT_LENGTH
+    end
+
     def registry
       @registry ||= Registry.new
     end
 
     def generate_id(config)
-      id = Nanoid.generate(size: config.length, alphabet: config.alphabet)
-      [config.prefix, id].reject(&:empty?).join(@separator)
+      alphabet = config.alphabet || @alphabet
+      length = config.length || @length
+      id = Nanoid.generate(size: length, alphabet: alphabet)
+
+      "#{config.prefix}#{separator}#{id}"
     end
   end
 
-  self.separator = "_"
+  # defaults based on https://planetscale.com/blog/why-we-chose-nanoids-for-planetscales-api
+  self.separator = DEFAULT_SEPARATOR
+  self.alphabet = DEFAULT_ALPHABET
+  self.length = DEFAULT_LENGTH
 
   class Registry
     def initialize
@@ -36,43 +53,40 @@ def register(prefix, model_class)
       @registry[prefix] = model_class
     end
 
-    def find_model(prefix)
-      @registry[prefix]
-    end
-
-    def find_record(id)
-      prefix, _ = id.split(CoolId.separator, 2)
-      model_class = find_model(prefix)
-      model_class&.find_by(id: id)
+    def locate(id)
+      parsed = parse(id)
+      parsed&.model_class&.find_by(id: id)
     end
 
-    def find_record!(id)
-      prefix, _ = id.split(CoolId.separator, 2)
-      model_class = find_model(prefix)
-      model_class&.find(id)
+    def parse(id)
+      prefix, key = id.split(CoolId.separator, 2)
+      model_class = @registry[prefix]
+      return nil unless model_class
+      Id.new(key, prefix, id, model_class)
     end
   end
 
   class Config
     attr_reader :prefix, :length, :alphabet
 
-    def initialize(prefix: "", length: 12, alphabet: "0123456789abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz")
-      @prefix = prefix
+    def initialize(prefix:, length: nil, alphabet: nil)
       @length = length
-      self.alphabet = alphabet
-    end
-
-    def alphabet=(value)
-      validate_alphabet(value)
-      @alphabet = value
+      @prefix = validate_prefix(prefix)
+      @alphabet = validate_alphabet(alphabet)
     end
 
     private
 
+    def validate_prefix(value)
+      raise ArgumentError, "Prefix cannot be nil" if value.nil?
+      raise ArgumentError, "Prefix cannot consist only of whitespace" if value.strip.empty?
+      value
+    end
+
     def validate_alphabet(value)
-      if value.include?(CoolId.separator)
-        raise ArgumentError, "Alphabet cannot include the separator '#{CoolId.separator}'"
-      end
+      return nil if value.nil?
+      raise ArgumentError, "Alphabet cannot include the separator '#{CoolId.separator}'" if value.include?(CoolId.separator)
+      value
     end
   end
 
@@ -82,18 +96,13 @@ module Model
     class_methods do
       attr_reader :cool_id_config
 
-      def cool_id(options = {})
-        register_cool_id(options)
-      end
-
-      def register_cool_id(options = {})
-        raise ArgumentError, "Prefix cannot be empty" if options[:prefix] && options[:prefix].empty?
+      def cool_id(options)
         @cool_id_config = Config.new(**options)
         CoolId.registry.register(options[:prefix], self)
       end
 
       def generate_cool_id
-        CoolId.generate_id(@cool_id_config || Config.new)
+        CoolId.generate_id(@cool_id_config)
       end
     end
 
@@ -108,11 +117,11 @@ def set_cool_id
     end
   end
 
-  def self.find(id)
-    registry.find_record(id)
+  def self.locate(id)
+    registry.locate(id)
   end
 
-  def self.find!(id)
-    registry.find_record!(id)
+  def self.parse(id)
+    registry.parse(id)
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/cool_id/version.rb b/lib/cool_id/version.rb
index 84889ea..c1156f8 100644
--- a/lib/cool_id/version.rb
+++ b/lib/cool_id/version.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 # frozen_string_literal: true
 
 module CoolId
-  VERSION = "0.1.0"
+  VERSION = "0.1.1"
 end
diff --git a/spec/cool_id_spec.rb b/spec/cool_id_spec.rb
index 3a99a22..3a68dda 100644
--- a/spec/cool_id_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/cool_id_spec.rb
@@ -6,24 +6,34 @@
 
 class User < ActiveRecord::Base
   include CoolId::Model
-  register_cool_id prefix: "usr"
+  cool_id prefix: "usr"
 end
 
 class CustomUser < ActiveRecord::Base
   include CoolId::Model
-  register_cool_id prefix: "cus", alphabet: "ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ", length: 8
+  cool_id prefix: "cus", alphabet: "ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ", length: 8
 end
 
 RSpec.describe CoolId do
+  before(:each) do
+    CoolId.reset_configuration
+  end
+
   it "has a version number" do
     expect(CoolId::VERSION).not_to be nil
   end
 
   describe ".generate_id" do
     it "generates an ID with default parameters" do
-      config = CoolId::Config.new
+      config = CoolId::Config.new(prefix: "X")
+      id = CoolId.generate_id(config)
+      expect(id).to match(/^X_[0-9a-z]{12}$/)
+    end
+
+    it "generates an ID with an empty prefix" do
+      config = CoolId::Config.new(prefix: "X")
       id = CoolId.generate_id(config)
-      expect(id).to match(/^[0-9a-z]{12}$/)
+      expect(id).to match(/^X_[0-9a-z]{12}$/)
     end
 
     it "generates an ID with custom prefix and length" do
@@ -33,15 +43,15 @@ class CustomUser < ActiveRecord::Base
     end
 
     it "generates an ID without prefix when prefix is empty" do
-      config = CoolId::Config.new(prefix: "", length: 15)
+      config = CoolId::Config.new(prefix: "X", length: 15)
       id = CoolId.generate_id(config)
-      expect(id).to match(/^[0-9a-z]{15}$/)
+      expect(id).to match(/^X_[0-9a-z]{15}$/)
     end
 
     it "generates an ID with custom alphabet" do
-      config = CoolId::Config.new(alphabet: "ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ", length: 10)
+      config = CoolId::Config.new(prefix: "X", alphabet: "ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ", length: 10)
       id = CoolId.generate_id(config)
-      expect(id).to match(/^[A-Z]{10}$/)
+      expect(id).to match(/^X_[A-Z]{10}$/)
     end
 
     it "uses the globally configured separator" do
@@ -49,7 +59,34 @@ class CustomUser < ActiveRecord::Base
       config = CoolId::Config.new(prefix: "test", length: 10)
       id = CoolId.generate_id(config)
       expect(id).to match(/^test-[0-9a-z]{10}$/)
-      CoolId.separator = "_" # Reset to default
+    end
+
+    it "uses the globally configured length" do
+      CoolId.configure { |config| config.length = 8 }
+      config = CoolId::Config.new(prefix: "test")
+      id = CoolId.generate_id(config)
+      expect(id).to match(/^test_[0-9a-z]{8}$/)
+    end
+
+    it "uses the config length over the global length" do
+      CoolId.configure { |config| config.length = 8 }
+      config = CoolId::Config.new(prefix: "test", length: 6)
+      id = CoolId.generate_id(config)
+      expect(id).to match(/^test_[0-9a-z]{6}$/)
+    end
+
+    it "resets configuration to default values" do
+      CoolId.configure do |config|
+        config.separator = "-"
+        config.alphabet = "ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ"
+        config.length = 8
+      end
+
+      CoolId.reset_configuration
+
+      expect(CoolId.separator).to eq(CoolId::DEFAULT_SEPARATOR)
+      expect(CoolId.alphabet).to eq(CoolId::DEFAULT_ALPHABET)
+      expect(CoolId.length).to eq(CoolId::DEFAULT_LENGTH)
     end
   end
 
@@ -92,65 +129,69 @@ class CustomUser < ActiveRecord::Base
     end
 
     it "generates a cool_id with custom settings" do
-      original_separator = CoolId.separator
       CoolId.separator = "-"
       custom_user = CustomUser.create(name: "Alice")
       expect(custom_user.id).to match(/^cus-[A-Z]{8}$/)
-      CoolId.separator = original_separator
+      CoolId.reset_configuration
     end
 
-    it "raises an error when trying to set an empty prefix" do
+    it "raises an error when trying to set an empty or whitespace-only prefix" do
+      expect {
+        Class.new(ActiveRecord::Base) do
+          include CoolId::Model
+          cool_id prefix: ""
+        end
+      }.to raise_error(ArgumentError, "Prefix cannot consist only of whitespace")
+
       expect {
         Class.new(ActiveRecord::Base) do
           include CoolId::Model
-          register_cool_id prefix: ""
+          cool_id prefix: "   "
         end
-      }.to raise_error(ArgumentError, "Prefix cannot be empty")
+      }.to raise_error(ArgumentError, "Prefix cannot consist only of whitespace")
+
+      expect {
+        Class.new(ActiveRecord::Base) do
+          include CoolId::Model
+          cool_id prefix: nil
+        end
+      }.to raise_error(ArgumentError, "Prefix cannot be nil")
     end
 
     it "raises an error when the alphabet includes the separator" do
-      original_separator = CoolId.separator
       CoolId.separator = "-"
       expect {
-        CoolId::Config.new(alphabet: "ABC-DEF")
+        CoolId::Config.new(prefix: "test", alphabet: "ABC-DEF")
       }.to raise_error(ArgumentError, "Alphabet cannot include the separator '-'")
-      CoolId.separator = original_separator
+      CoolId.reset_configuration
     end
 
-    it "can find a record using CoolId.find" do
+    it "can locate a record using CoolId.locate" do
       user = User.create(name: "John Doe")
-      found_user = CoolId.find(user.id)
-      expect(found_user).to eq(user)
+      located_user = CoolId.locate(user.id)
+      expect(located_user).to eq(user)
     end
 
-    it "can find a custom record using CoolId.find" do
+    it "can locate a custom record using CoolId.locate" do
       custom_user = CustomUser.create(name: "Alice")
-      found_custom_user = CoolId.find(custom_user.id)
-      expect(found_custom_user).to eq(custom_user)
-    end
-
-    it "returns nil when trying to find a non-existent record" do
-      expect(CoolId.find("usr_nonexistent")).to be_nil
-    end
-
-    it "raises ActiveRecord::RecordNotFound when trying to find! a non-existent record" do
-      expect { CoolId.find!("usr_nonexistent") }.to raise_error(ActiveRecord::RecordNotFound)
+      located_custom_user = CoolId.locate(custom_user.id)
+      expect(located_custom_user).to eq(custom_user)
     end
 
-    it "returns nil when trying to find a record with an unknown prefix" do
-      expect(CoolId.find("unknown_prefix_123")).to be_nil
+    it "returns nil when trying to locate a non-existent record" do
+      expect(CoolId.locate("usr_nonexistent")).to be_nil
     end
 
-    it "returns nil when trying to find! a record with an unknown prefix" do
-      expect(CoolId.find!("unknown_prefix_123")).to be_nil
+    it "returns nil when trying to locate a record with an unknown prefix" do
+      expect(CoolId.locate("unknown_prefix_123")).to be_nil
     end
 
     it "works with different separators" do
       user = User.create(name: "John Doe")
       custom_user = CustomUser.create(name: "Jane Doe")
 
-      expect(CoolId.find(user.id)).to eq(user)
-      expect(CoolId.find(custom_user.id)).to eq(custom_user)
+      expect(CoolId.locate(user.id)).to eq(user)
+      expect(CoolId.locate(custom_user.id)).to eq(custom_user)
     end
   end
 end