diff --git a/example/reference_example.dart b/example/reference_example.dart
index a10fe61..dd91a4f 100644
--- a/example/reference_example.dart
+++ b/example/reference_example.dart
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ void main() async {
   final repo = Repository.open(tmpDir.path);
 
   // Get list of repo's references.
-  print('Repository references: ${repo.references.list()}');
+  print('Repository references: ${repo.references.list}');
 
   // Get reference by name.
   final ref = repo.references['refs/heads/master'];
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ void main() async {
   print('Reference shorthand name: ${ref.shorthand}');
 
   // Create new reference (direct or symbolic).
-  final newRef = repo.createReference(
+  final newRef = repo.references.create(
     name: 'refs/tags/v1',
     target: 'refs/heads/master',
   );
diff --git a/lib/src/branch.dart b/lib/src/branch.dart
index 56fe586..14c35cd 100644
--- a/lib/src/branch.dart
+++ b/lib/src/branch.dart
@@ -41,7 +41,8 @@ class Branches {
   /// Throws a [LibGit2Error] if error occured.
   Branch operator [](String branchName) {
     final ref = Reference(
-        _repoPointer, reference_bindings.lookupDWIM(_repoPointer, branchName));
+      reference_bindings.lookupDWIM(_repoPointer, branchName),
+    );
     late final GitBranch type;
     ref.isBranch ? type = GitBranch.local : GitBranch.remote;
     ref.free();
@@ -64,14 +65,12 @@ class Branches {
     required Commit target,
     bool force = false,
   }) {
-    final result = bindings.create(
+    return Reference(bindings.create(
       _repoPointer,
       name,
       target.pointer,
       force,
-    );
-
-    return Reference(_repoPointer, result);
+    ));
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/src/reference.dart b/lib/src/reference.dart
index e7646cb..63e3a94 100644
--- a/lib/src/reference.dart
+++ b/lib/src/reference.dart
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
 import 'dart:ffi';
-import 'package:libgit2dart/libgit2dart.dart';
-
 import 'bindings/libgit2_bindings.dart';
 import 'bindings/reference.dart' as bindings;
 import 'bindings/object.dart' as object_bindings;
@@ -29,7 +27,10 @@ class References {
   /// Returns a list of all the references that can be found in a repository.
   ///
   /// Throws a [LibGit2Error] if error occured.
-  List<String> list() => bindings.list(_repoPointer);
+  List<String> get list => bindings.list(_repoPointer);
+
+  /// Returns number of all the references that can be found in a repository.
+  int get length => list.length;
 
   /// Returns a [Reference] by lookingup [name] in a repository.
   ///
@@ -39,8 +40,63 @@ class References {
   ///
   /// Throws a [LibGit2Error] if error occured.
   Reference operator [](String name) {
-    final refPointer = bindings.lookup(_repoPointer, name);
-    return Reference(_repoPointer, refPointer);
+    return Reference(bindings.lookup(_repoPointer, name));
+  }
+
+  /// Creates a new reference.
+  ///
+  /// The reference will be created in the repository and written to the disk.
+  /// The generated [Reference] object must be freed by the user.
+  ///
+  /// Valid reference names must follow one of two patterns:
+  ///
+  /// Top-level names must contain only capital letters and underscores, and must begin and end
+  /// with a letter. (e.g. "HEAD", "ORIG_HEAD").
+  /// Names prefixed with "refs/" can be almost anything. You must avoid the characters
+  /// '~', '^', ':', '\', '?', '[', and '*', and the sequences ".." and "@{" which have
+  /// special meaning to revparse.
+  /// Throws a [LibGit2Error] if a reference already exists with the given name
+  /// unless force is true, in which case it will be overwritten.
+  ///
+  /// The message for the reflog will be ignored if the reference does not belong in the
+  /// standard set (HEAD, branches and remote-tracking branches) and it does not have a reflog.
+  Reference create({
+    required String name,
+    required Object target,
+    bool force = false,
+    String? logMessage,
+  }) {
+    late final Oid oid;
+    late final bool isDirect;
+
+    if (target is Oid) {
+      oid = target;
+      isDirect = true;
+    } else if (isValidShaHex(target as String)) {
+      final repo = Repository(_repoPointer);
+      oid = Oid.fromSHA(repo, target);
+      isDirect = true;
+    } else {
+      isDirect = false;
+    }
+
+    if (isDirect) {
+      return Reference(bindings.createDirect(
+        _repoPointer,
+        name,
+        oid.pointer,
+        force,
+        logMessage,
+      ));
+    } else {
+      return Reference(bindings.createSymbolic(
+        _repoPointer,
+        name,
+        target as String,
+        force,
+        logMessage,
+      ));
+    }
   }
 
   /// Suggests that the given refdb compress or optimize its references.
@@ -58,87 +114,10 @@ class References {
 class Reference {
   /// Initializes a new instance of the [Reference] class.
   /// Should be freed with `free()` to release allocated memory.
-  Reference(this._repoPointer, this._refPointer);
-
-  /// Initializes a new instance of the [Reference] class by creating a new direct reference.
-  ///
-  /// The direct reference will be created in the repository and written to the disk.
-  /// The generated [Reference] object must be freed by the user.
-  ///
-  /// Valid reference names must follow one of two patterns:
-  ///
-  /// Top-level names must contain only capital letters and underscores, and must begin and end
-  /// with a letter. (e.g. "HEAD", "ORIG_HEAD").
-  /// Names prefixed with "refs/" can be almost anything. You must avoid the characters
-  /// '~', '^', ':', '\', '?', '[', and '*', and the sequences ".." and "@{" which have
-  /// special meaning to revparse.
-  ///
-  /// Throws a [LibGit2Error] if a reference already exists with the given name
-  /// unless force is true, in which case it will be overwritten.
-  ///
-  /// The message for the reflog will be ignored if the reference does not belong in the
-  /// standard set (HEAD, branches and remote-tracking branches) and it does not have a reflog.
-  Reference.createDirect({
-    required Repository repo,
-    required String name,
-    required Pointer<git_oid> oid,
-    required bool force,
-    String? logMessage,
-  }) {
-    _repoPointer = repo.pointer;
-    _refPointer = bindings.createDirect(
-      repo.pointer,
-      name,
-      oid,
-      force,
-      logMessage,
-    );
-  }
-
-  /// Initializes a new instance of the [Reference] class by creating a new symbolic reference.
-  ///
-  /// A symbolic reference is a reference name that refers to another reference name.
-  /// If the other name moves, the symbolic name will move, too. As a simple example,
-  /// the "HEAD" reference might refer to "refs/heads/master" while on the "master" branch
-  /// of a repository.
-  ///
-  /// The symbolic reference will be created in the repository and written to the disk.
-  /// The generated reference object must be freed by the user.
-  ///
-  /// Valid reference names must follow one of two patterns:
-  ///
-  /// Top-level names must contain only capital letters and underscores, and must begin and end
-  /// with a letter. (e.g. "HEAD", "ORIG_HEAD").
-  /// Names prefixed with "refs/" can be almost anything. You must avoid the characters
-  /// '~', '^', ':', '\', '?', '[', and '*', and the sequences ".." and "@{" which have special
-  /// meaning to revparse.
-  /// This function will throw an [LibGit2Error] if a reference already exists with the given
-  /// name unless force is true, in which case it will be overwritten.
-  ///
-  /// The message for the reflog will be ignored if the reference does not belong in the standard
-  /// set (HEAD, branches and remote-tracking branches) and it does not have a reflog.
-  Reference.createSymbolic({
-    required Repository repo,
-    required String name,
-    required String target,
-    required bool force,
-    String? logMessage,
-  }) {
-    _repoPointer = repo.pointer;
-    _refPointer = bindings.createSymbolic(
-      repo.pointer,
-      name,
-      target,
-      force,
-      logMessage,
-    );
-  }
+  Reference(this._refPointer);
 
   late Pointer<git_reference> _refPointer;
 
-  /// Pointer to memory address for allocated repository object.
-  late final Pointer<git_repository> _repoPointer;
-
   /// Pointer to memory address for allocated reference object.
   Pointer<git_reference> get pointer => _refPointer;
 
@@ -171,15 +150,13 @@ class Reference {
   /// Throws a [LibGit2Error] if error occured.
   void setTarget(String target, [String? logMessage]) {
     late final Oid oid;
+    final owner = bindings.owner(_refPointer);
 
     if (isValidShaHex(target)) {
-      final repo = Repository(_repoPointer);
+      final repo = Repository(owner);
       oid = Oid.fromSHA(repo, target);
     } else {
-      final ref = Reference(
-        _repoPointer,
-        bindings.lookup(_repoPointer, target),
-      );
+      final ref = Reference(bindings.lookup(owner, target));
       oid = ref.target;
       ref.free();
     }
@@ -249,7 +226,10 @@ class Reference {
   /// Checks if a reflog exists for the specified reference [name].
   ///
   /// Throws a [LibGit2Error] if error occured.
-  bool get hasLog => bindings.hasLog(_repoPointer, name);
+  bool get hasLog {
+    final owner = bindings.owner(_refPointer);
+    return bindings.hasLog(owner, name);
+  }
 
   /// Returns a [RefLog] object.
   ///
diff --git a/lib/src/repository.dart b/lib/src/repository.dart
index 7b1953f..87f476b 100644
--- a/lib/src/repository.dart
+++ b/lib/src/repository.dart
@@ -32,9 +32,7 @@ class Repository {
   /// pointer to repository object in memory.
   ///
   /// Should be freed with `free()` to release allocated memory.
-  Repository(this._repoPointer) {
-    libgit2.git_libgit2_init();
-  }
+  Repository(this._repoPointer);
 
   /// Initializes a new instance of the [Repository] class by creating a new
   /// Git repository in the given folder.
@@ -254,66 +252,11 @@ class Repository {
   /// Returns [Reference] object pointing to repository head.
   ///
   /// Must be freed once it's no longer being used.
-  Reference get head => Reference(_repoPointer, bindings.head(_repoPointer));
+  Reference get head => Reference(bindings.head(_repoPointer));
 
   /// Returns [References] object.
   References get references => References(this);
 
-  /// Creates a new reference.
-  ///
-  /// The reference will be created in the repository and written to the disk.
-  /// The generated [Reference] object must be freed by the user.
-  ///
-  /// Valid reference names must follow one of two patterns:
-  ///
-  /// Top-level names must contain only capital letters and underscores, and must begin and end
-  /// with a letter. (e.g. "HEAD", "ORIG_HEAD").
-  /// Names prefixed with "refs/" can be almost anything. You must avoid the characters
-  /// '~', '^', ':', '\', '?', '[', and '*', and the sequences ".." and "@{" which have
-  /// special meaning to revparse.
-  /// Throws a [LibGit2Error] if a reference already exists with the given name
-  /// unless force is true, in which case it will be overwritten.
-  ///
-  /// The message for the reflog will be ignored if the reference does not belong in the
-  /// standard set (HEAD, branches and remote-tracking branches) and it does not have a reflog.
-  Reference createReference({
-    required String name,
-    required Object target,
-    bool force = false,
-    String? logMessage,
-  }) {
-    late final Oid oid;
-    late final bool isDirect;
-
-    if (target is Oid) {
-      oid = target;
-      isDirect = true;
-    } else if (isValidShaHex(target as String)) {
-      oid = Oid.fromSHA(this, target);
-      isDirect = true;
-    } else {
-      isDirect = false;
-    }
-
-    if (isDirect) {
-      return Reference.createDirect(
-        repo: this,
-        name: name,
-        oid: oid.pointer,
-        force: force,
-        logMessage: logMessage,
-      );
-    } else {
-      return Reference.createSymbolic(
-        repo: this,
-        name: name,
-        target: target as String,
-        force: force,
-        logMessage: logMessage,
-      );
-    }
-  }
-
   /// Returns [Index] file for this repository.
   ///
   /// Must be freed once it's no longer being used.
diff --git a/lib/src/revparse.dart b/lib/src/revparse.dart
index 268dea8..732feec 100644
--- a/lib/src/revparse.dart
+++ b/lib/src/revparse.dart
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ class RevParse {
     final pointers = bindings.revParseExt(repo.pointer, spec);
     object = Commit(pointers[0].cast<git_commit>());
     if (pointers.length == 2) {
-      reference = Reference(repo.pointer, pointers[1].cast<git_reference>());
+      reference = Reference(pointers[1].cast<git_reference>());
     } else {
       reference = null;
     }
diff --git a/test/reference_test.dart b/test/reference_test.dart
index f2c7235..ec1844d 100644
--- a/test/reference_test.dart
+++ b/test/reference_test.dart
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ void main() {
   group('Reference', () {
     test('returns a list', () {
       expect(
-        repo.references.list(),
+        repo.references.list,
         [
           'refs/heads/feature',
           'refs/heads/master',
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ void main() {
     });
 
     test('returns the short name', () {
-      final ref = repo.createReference(
+      final ref = repo.references.create(
         name: 'refs/remotes/origin/master',
         target: lastCommit,
       );
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ void main() {
     });
 
     test('checks if reference is a remote branch', () {
-      final ref = repo.createReference(
+      final ref = repo.references.create(
         name: 'refs/remotes/origin/master',
         target: lastCommit,
       );
@@ -119,42 +119,42 @@ void main() {
     group('create direct', () {
       test('successfully creates with Oid as target', () {
         final ref = repo.references['refs/heads/master'];
-        final refFromOid = repo.createReference(
+        final refFromOid = repo.references.create(
           name: 'refs/tags/from.oid',
           target: ref.target,
         );
 
-        expect(repo.references.list(), contains('refs/tags/from.oid'));
+        expect(repo.references.list, contains('refs/tags/from.oid'));
 
         refFromOid.free();
         ref.free();
       });
 
       test('successfully creates with SHA hash as target', () {
-        final refFromHash = repo.createReference(
+        final refFromHash = repo.references.create(
           name: 'refs/tags/from.hash',
           target: lastCommit,
         );
 
-        expect(repo.references.list(), contains('refs/tags/from.hash'));
+        expect(repo.references.list, contains('refs/tags/from.hash'));
 
         refFromHash.free();
       });
 
       test('successfully creates with short SHA hash as target', () {
-        final refFromHash = repo.createReference(
+        final refFromHash = repo.references.create(
           name: 'refs/tags/from.short.hash',
           target: '78b8bf',
         );
 
-        expect(repo.references.list(), contains('refs/tags/from.short.hash'));
+        expect(repo.references.list, contains('refs/tags/from.short.hash'));
 
         refFromHash.free();
       });
 
       test('successfully creates with log message', () {
         repo.setIdentity(name: 'name', email: 'email');
-        final ref = repo.createReference(
+        final ref = repo.references.create(
           name: 'refs/heads/log.message',
           target: lastCommit,
           logMessage: 'log message',
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ void main() {
 
       test('throws if target is not valid', () {
         expect(
-          () => repo.createReference(
+          () => repo.references.create(
             name: 'refs/tags/invalid',
             target: '78b',
           ),
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ void main() {
 
       test('throws if name is not valid', () {
         expect(
-          () => repo.createReference(
+          () => repo.references.create(
             name: 'refs/tags/invalid~',
             target: lastCommit,
           ),
@@ -192,12 +192,12 @@ void main() {
       });
 
       test('successfully creates with force flag if name already exists', () {
-        final ref = repo.createReference(
+        final ref = repo.references.create(
           name: 'refs/tags/test',
           target: lastCommit,
         );
 
-        final forceRef = repo.createReference(
+        final forceRef = repo.references.create(
           name: 'refs/tags/test',
           target: lastCommit,
           force: true,
@@ -210,13 +210,13 @@ void main() {
       });
 
       test('throws if name already exists', () {
-        final ref = repo.createReference(
+        final ref = repo.references.create(
           name: 'refs/tags/test',
           target: lastCommit,
         );
 
         expect(
-          () => repo.createReference(
+          () => repo.references.create(
             name: 'refs/tags/test',
             target: lastCommit,
           ),
@@ -229,24 +229,24 @@ void main() {
 
     group('create symbolic', () {
       test('successfully creates with valid target', () {
-        final ref = repo.createReference(
+        final ref = repo.references.create(
           name: 'refs/tags/symbolic',
           target: 'refs/heads/master',
         );
 
-        expect(repo.references.list(), contains('refs/tags/symbolic'));
+        expect(repo.references.list, contains('refs/tags/symbolic'));
         expect(ref.type, ReferenceType.symbolic);
 
         ref.free();
       });
 
       test('successfully creates with force flag if name already exists', () {
-        final ref = repo.createReference(
+        final ref = repo.references.create(
           name: 'refs/tags/test',
           target: 'refs/heads/master',
         );
 
-        final forceRef = repo.createReference(
+        final forceRef = repo.references.create(
           name: 'refs/tags/test',
           target: 'refs/heads/master',
           force: true,
@@ -260,13 +260,13 @@ void main() {
       });
 
       test('throws if name already exists', () {
-        final ref = repo.createReference(
+        final ref = repo.references.create(
           name: 'refs/tags/exists',
           target: 'refs/heads/master',
         );
 
         expect(
-          () => repo.createReference(
+          () => repo.references.create(
             name: 'refs/tags/exists',
             target: 'refs/heads/master',
           ),
@@ -278,7 +278,7 @@ void main() {
 
       test('throws if name is not valid', () {
         expect(
-          () => repo.createReference(
+          () => repo.references.create(
             name: 'refs/tags/invalid~',
             target: 'refs/heads/master',
           ),
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ void main() {
 
       test('successfully creates with log message', () {
         repo.setIdentity(name: 'name', email: 'email');
-        final ref = repo.createReference(
+        final ref = repo.references.create(
           name: 'HEAD',
           target: 'refs/heads/feature',
           force: true,
@@ -308,14 +308,14 @@ void main() {
     });
 
     test('successfully deletes reference', () {
-      final ref = repo.createReference(
+      final ref = repo.references.create(
         name: 'refs/tags/test',
         target: lastCommit,
       );
-      expect(repo.references.list(), contains('refs/tags/test'));
+      expect(repo.references.list, contains('refs/tags/test'));
 
       ref.delete();
-      expect(repo.references.list(), isNot(contains('refs/tags/test')));
+      expect(repo.references.list, isNot(contains('refs/tags/test')));
       ref.free();
     });
 
@@ -399,7 +399,7 @@ void main() {
 
     group('rename', () {
       test('successfully renames reference', () {
-        final ref = repo.createReference(
+        final ref = repo.references.create(
           name: 'refs/tags/v1',
           target: lastCommit,
         );
@@ -412,7 +412,7 @@ void main() {
       });
 
       test('throws on invalid name', () {
-        final ref = repo.createReference(
+        final ref = repo.references.create(
           name: 'refs/tags/v1',
           target: lastCommit,
         );
@@ -426,12 +426,12 @@ void main() {
       });
 
       test('throws if name already exists', () {
-        final ref1 = repo.createReference(
+        final ref1 = repo.references.create(
           name: 'refs/tags/v1',
           target: lastCommit,
         );
 
-        final ref2 = repo.createReference(
+        final ref2 = repo.references.create(
           name: 'refs/tags/v2',
           target: lastCommit,
         );
@@ -446,12 +446,12 @@ void main() {
       });
 
       test('successfully renames with force flag set to true', () {
-        final ref1 = repo.createReference(
+        final ref1 = repo.references.create(
           name: 'refs/tags/v1',
           target: lastCommit,
         );
 
-        final ref2 = repo.createReference(
+        final ref2 = repo.references.create(
           name: 'refs/tags/v2',
           target: newCommit,
         );
@@ -512,12 +512,12 @@ void main() {
     test('successfully compresses references', () {
       final packedRefsFile = File('${tmpDir.path}/.git/packed-refs');
       expect(packedRefsFile.existsSync(), false);
-      final oldRefs = repo.references.list();
+      final oldRefs = repo.references.list;
 
       repo.references.compress();
 
       expect(packedRefsFile.existsSync(), true);
-      final newRefs = repo.references.list();
+      final newRefs = repo.references.list;
       expect(newRefs, oldRefs);
     });
   });