Thread: Is there a "best" way to read/write files in Java?

Depends on what you are doing.
Q: PrintWriter or BufferedWritter?
A: Both. You can take advantage of PrintWriter's simplified class while also taking advantage of buffering:

PrintWriter out = new PrintWriter(new BufferedWriter(new FileWriter("foo.out")));

It is important to note that PrintWriter "eats" exceptions, meaning: I/O exceptions will not be thrown down the stack. This can be problematic, because things may just not work, and you won't know why. It is generally suggested to use the PrintWriter.checkError() method to determine if the writer "ate" any exceptions.

Q: Scanner or BufferedReader?
A: Depends what you are doing. The BufferedReader will work in almost all cases, while the Scanner will work in some cases. If I can get away with using the Scanner to simplify things, I will. But, I usually find myself having to use the BufferedReader, because Scanner is not practical for my purposes. Generally speaking, you will not (*should not*) see large-scale commercial products reading files with Scanner, due to its limitations. However, when it comes to reading user console input or simple files in small programs, a BufferedReader may just be overkill for your purposes, so Scanner is a "better" option.