diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index d0300120..59edd7d2 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ endfunction()
 # Define the fmt library, its includes and the needed defines.
 # format.cc is added to FMT_HEADERS for the header-only configuration.
 add_headers(FMT_HEADERS core.h format.h format.cc locale.h ostream.h printf.h
-                        string.h time.h)
+                        time.h)
 if (HAVE_OPEN)
   add_headers(FMT_HEADERS posix.h)
   add_headers(FMT_SOURCES posix.cc)
diff --git a/include/fmt/core.h b/include/fmt/core.h
index a8a33c10..350ce0fa 100644
--- a/include/fmt/core.h
+++ b/include/fmt/core.h
@@ -176,6 +176,18 @@ class basic_string_view {
 using string_view = basic_string_view<char>;
 using wstring_view = basic_string_view<wchar_t>;
 
+template <typename Context>
+class basic_arg;
+
+template <typename Context>
+class basic_format_args;
+
+// A formatter for objects of type T.
+template <typename T, typename Char = char, typename Enable = void>
+struct formatter;
+
+namespace internal {
+
 /** A contiguous memory buffer with an optional growing ability. */
 template <typename T>
 class basic_buffer {
@@ -253,21 +265,6 @@ class basic_buffer {
   const T &operator[](std::size_t index) const { return ptr_[index]; }
 };
 
-using buffer = basic_buffer<char>;
-using wbuffer = basic_buffer<wchar_t>;
-
-template <typename Context>
-class basic_arg;
-
-template <typename Context>
-class basic_format_args;
-
-// A formatter for objects of type T.
-template <typename T, typename Char = char, typename Enable = void>
-struct formatter;
-
-namespace internal {
-
 // A helper function to suppress bogus "conditional expression is constant"
 // warnings.
 template <typename T>
@@ -583,7 +580,7 @@ class value {
     typename Context::template formatter_type<T> f;
     auto &&parse_ctx = ctx.parse_context();
     parse_ctx.advance_to(f.parse(parse_ctx));
-    ctx.advance_to(f.format(*static_cast<const T*>(arg), ctx));
+    f.format(*static_cast<const T*>(arg), ctx);
   }
 };
 
@@ -797,7 +794,7 @@ class context_base {
   Range range() { return range_; }
 
   // Returns an iterator to the beginning of the output range.
-  iterator begin() { return out_; }
+  auto begin() { return std::back_inserter(range_.container()); }
 
   // Advances the begin iterator to ``it``.
   void advance_to(iterator it) { out_ = it; }
@@ -878,6 +875,9 @@ class basic_context :
   format_arg get_arg(basic_string_view<char_type> name);
 };
 
+using buffer = internal::basic_buffer<char>;
+using wbuffer = internal::basic_buffer<wchar_t>;
+
 using context = basic_context<internal::dynamic_range<buffer>>;
 using wcontext = basic_context<internal::dynamic_range<wbuffer>>;
 
diff --git a/include/fmt/format.h b/include/fmt/format.h
index 47149cde..fe60d257 100644
--- a/include/fmt/format.h
+++ b/include/fmt/format.h
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 #include <cassert>
 #include <cmath>
 #include <cstring>
+#include <iterator>
 #include <limits>
 #include <memory>
 #include <stdexcept>
@@ -296,17 +297,6 @@ inline stdext::checked_array_iterator<T*> make_ptr(T *ptr, std::size_t size) {
 template <typename T>
 inline T *make_ptr(T *ptr, std::size_t) { return ptr; }
 #endif
-}  // namespace internal
-
-// A wrapper around std::locale used to reduce compile times since <locale>
-// is very heavy.
-class locale;
-
-class locale_provider {
- public:
-  virtual ~locale_provider() {}
-  virtual fmt::locale locale();
-};
 
 template <typename T>
 template <typename U>
@@ -318,10 +308,32 @@ void basic_buffer<T>::append(const U *begin, const U *end) {
   size_ = new_size;
 }
 
-template <typename Char>
-inline std::basic_string<Char> to_string(const basic_buffer<Char>& buffer) {
-  return std::basic_string<Char>(buffer.data(), buffer.size());
-}
+template <typename Container>
+class container_buffer
+    : public internal::basic_buffer<typename Container::value_type> {
+ private:
+  Container &container_;
+
+ protected:
+  virtual void grow(std::size_t capacity) {
+    container_.resize(capacity);
+    this->set(&container_[0], capacity);
+  }
+
+ public:
+  explicit container_buffer(Container &c) : container_(c) {}
+};
+}  // namespace internal
+
+// A wrapper around std::locale used to reduce compile times since <locale>
+// is very heavy.
+class locale;
+
+class locale_provider {
+ public:
+  virtual ~locale_provider() {}
+  virtual fmt::locale locale();
+};
 
 /**
   \rst
@@ -354,7 +366,7 @@ inline std::basic_string<Char> to_string(const basic_buffer<Char>& buffer) {
  */
 template <typename T, std::size_t SIZE = internal::INLINE_BUFFER_SIZE,
           typename Allocator = std::allocator<T> >
-class basic_memory_buffer : private Allocator, public basic_buffer<T> {
+class basic_memory_buffer: private Allocator, public internal::basic_buffer<T> {
  private:
   T store_[SIZE];
 
@@ -453,7 +465,7 @@ typedef basic_memory_buffer<wchar_t> wmemory_buffer;
   \endrst
  */
 template <typename Char>
-class basic_fixed_buffer : public basic_buffer<Char> {
+class basic_fixed_buffer : public internal::basic_buffer<Char> {
  public:
   /**
    \rst
@@ -2790,7 +2802,7 @@ struct formatter<
   }
 
   template <typename FormatContext>
-  typename FormatContext::iterator format(const T &val, FormatContext &ctx) {
+  auto format(const T &val, FormatContext &ctx) -> decltype(ctx.begin()) {
     internal::handle_dynamic_spec<internal::width_checker>(
       specs_.width_, specs_.width_ref, ctx);
     internal::handle_dynamic_spec<internal::precision_checker>(
@@ -2893,9 +2905,9 @@ typename basic_context<Range>::format_arg
 
 /** Formats arguments and writes the output to the buffer. */
 template <typename ArgFormatter, typename Char, typename Context>
-void vformat_to(typename ArgFormatter::range out,
-                basic_string_view<Char> format_str,
-                basic_format_args<Context> args) {
+void do_vformat_to(typename ArgFormatter::range out,
+                   basic_string_view<Char> format_str,
+                   basic_format_args<Context> args) {
   using iterator = internal::null_terminating_iterator<Char>;
   using range = typename ArgFormatter::range;
 
@@ -2983,32 +2995,64 @@ constexpr fill_spec_factory fill;
 constexpr format_spec_factory<width_spec> width;
 constexpr format_spec_factory<type_spec> type;
 
-template <typename Range>
-inline void vformat_range(Range out, string_view format_str, format_args args) {
-  vformat_to<arg_formatter<Range>>(out, format_str, args);
+/**
+  \rst
+  Converts *value* to ``std::string`` using the default format for type *T*.
+
+  **Example**::
+
+    #include "fmt/string.h"
+
+    std::string answer = fmt::to_string(42);
+  \endrst
+ */
+template <typename T>
+std::string to_string(const T &value) {
+  std::string str;
+  internal::container_buffer<std::string> buf(str);
+  writer(buf).write(value);
+  return str;
 }
 
-template <typename Range, typename... Args>
-inline void format_range(Range out, string_view format_str,
-                         const Args & ... args) {
-  vformat_range(out, format_str, make_args(args...));
+template <typename Char>
+std::basic_string<Char> to_string(const basic_memory_buffer<Char> &buffer) {
+  return std::basic_string<Char>(buffer.data(), buffer.size());
 }
 
 inline void vformat_to(buffer &buf, string_view format_str, format_args args) {
   using range = internal::dynamic_range<buffer>;
-  vformat_to<arg_formatter<range>>(buf, format_str, args);
+  do_vformat_to<arg_formatter<range>>(buf, format_str, args);
 }
 
 inline void vformat_to(wbuffer &buf, wstring_view format_str,
                        wformat_args args) {
   using range = internal::dynamic_range<wbuffer>;
-  vformat_to<arg_formatter<range>>(buf, format_str, args);
+  do_vformat_to<arg_formatter<range>>(buf, format_str, args);
+}
+
+template <typename Container>
+void vformat_to(std::back_insert_iterator<Container> out,
+                string_view format_str, format_args args) {
+  using iterator = std::back_insert_iterator<Container>;
+  struct container_extractor : iterator {
+    container_extractor(iterator it) : iterator(it) {}
+    using iterator::container;
+  } extractor(out);
+  internal::container_buffer<Container> buf(*extractor.container);
+  vformat_to(buf, format_str, args);
+}
+
+template <typename Container, typename... Args>
+inline void format_to(std::back_insert_iterator<Container> out,
+                      string_view format_str,
+                      const Args & ... args) {
+  vformat_to(out, format_str, make_args(args...));
 }
 
 inline std::string vformat(string_view format_str, format_args args) {
   memory_buffer buffer;
   vformat_to(buffer, format_str, args);
-  return to_string(buffer);
+  return fmt::to_string(buffer);
 }
 
 inline std::wstring vformat(wstring_view format_str, wformat_args args) {
diff --git a/include/fmt/printf.h b/include/fmt/printf.h
index eadcabea..f3dbaf3e 100644
--- a/include/fmt/printf.h
+++ b/include/fmt/printf.h
@@ -232,8 +232,8 @@ class printf_arg_formatter : public internal::arg_formatter_base<Range> {
     specifier information for standard argument types.
     \endrst
    */
-  printf_arg_formatter(basic_buffer<char_type> &buffer, format_specs &spec,
-                       basic_printf_context<Range> &ctx)
+  printf_arg_formatter(internal::basic_buffer<char_type> &buffer,
+                       format_specs &spec, basic_printf_context<Range> &ctx)
   : base(buffer, spec), context_(ctx) {}
 
   using base::operator();
@@ -522,7 +522,7 @@ void basic_printf_context<Range, AF>::format() {
 }
 
 template <typename Char, typename Context>
-void printf(basic_buffer<Char> &buf, basic_string_view<Char> format,
+void printf(internal::basic_buffer<Char> &buf, basic_string_view<Char> format,
             basic_format_args<Context> args) {
   Context(buf, format, args).format();
 }
diff --git a/include/fmt/string.h b/include/fmt/string.h
deleted file mode 100644
index c9a2eac3..00000000
--- a/include/fmt/string.h
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,92 +0,0 @@
-// Formatting library for C++ - string utilities
-//
-// Copyright (c) 2012 - 2016, Victor Zverovich
-// All rights reserved.
-//
-// For the license information refer to format.h.
-
-#ifndef FMT_STRING_H_
-#define FMT_STRING_H_
-
-#include "fmt/format.h"
-
-namespace fmt {
-
-/**
-  \rst
-  This class template represents a character buffer backed by std::string.
-
-  You can use one of the following typedefs for common character types
-  and the standard allocator:
-
-  +----------------+------------------------------+
-  | Type           | Definition                   |
-  +================+==============================+
-  | string_buffer  | basic_string_buffer<char>    |
-  +----------------+------------------------------+
-  | wstring_buffer | basic_string_buffer<wchar_t> |
-  +----------------+------------------------------+
-
-  **Example**::
-
-     string_buffer out;
-     format_to(out, "The answer is {}", 42);
-
-  This will write the following output to the ``out`` object:
-
-  .. code-block:: none
-
-     The answer is 42
-
-  The output can be moved to an ``std::string`` with ``out.move_to()``.
-  \endrst
- */template <typename Char>
-class basic_string_buffer : public basic_buffer<Char> {
- private:
-  std::basic_string<Char> str_;
-
- protected:
-  virtual void grow(std::size_t capacity) {
-    str_.resize(capacity);
-    this->set(&str_[0], capacity);
-  }
-
- public:
-  /**
-    \rst
-    Moves the buffer content to *str* clearing the buffer.
-    \endrst
-   */
-  void move_to(std::basic_string<Char> &str) {
-    str_.resize(this->size());
-    str.swap(str_);
-    this->resize(0);
-    this->set(0, 0);
-  }
-};
-
-typedef basic_string_buffer<char> string_buffer;
-typedef basic_string_buffer<wchar_t> wstring_buffer;
-
-/**
-  \rst
-  Converts *value* to ``std::string`` using the default format for type *T*.
-
-  **Example**::
-
-    #include "fmt/string.h"
-
-    std::string answer = fmt::to_string(42);
-  \endrst
- */
-template <typename T>
-std::string to_string(const T &value) {
-  string_buffer buf;
-  writer(buf).write(value);
-  std::string str;
-  buf.move_to(str);
-  return str;
-}
-}
-
-#endif  // FMT_STRING_H_
diff --git a/test/CMakeLists.txt b/test/CMakeLists.txt
index ab6faae1..453a14ec 100644
--- a/test/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -85,7 +85,6 @@ add_fmt_test(format-test)
 add_fmt_test(format-impl-test)
 add_fmt_test(ostream-test)
 add_fmt_test(printf-test)
-add_fmt_test(string-test)
 add_fmt_test(time-test)
 add_fmt_test(util-test mock-allocator.h)
 add_fmt_test(custom-formatter-test)
diff --git a/test/custom-formatter-test.cc b/test/custom-formatter-test.cc
index 06fe9df6..ef66b1af 100644
--- a/test/custom-formatter-test.cc
+++ b/test/custom-formatter-test.cc
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ class CustomArgFormatter :
 std::string custom_vformat(fmt::string_view format_str, fmt::format_args args) {
   fmt::memory_buffer buffer;
   // Pass custom argument formatter as a template arg to vwrite.
-  fmt::vformat_to<CustomArgFormatter>(buffer, format_str, args);
+  fmt::do_vformat_to<CustomArgFormatter>(buffer, format_str, args);
   return std::string(buffer.data(), buffer.size());
 }
 
diff --git a/test/format-test.cc b/test/format-test.cc
index 6296ad61..77d95029 100644
--- a/test/format-test.cc
+++ b/test/format-test.cc
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ void std_format(long double value, std::wstring &result) {
 template <typename Char, typename T>
 ::testing::AssertionResult check_write(const T &value, const char *type) {
   fmt::basic_memory_buffer<Char> buffer;
-  using range = fmt::internal::dynamic_range<fmt::basic_buffer<Char>>;
+  using range = fmt::internal::dynamic_range<fmt::internal::basic_buffer<Char>>;
   fmt::basic_writer<range> writer(buffer);
   writer.write(value);
   std::basic_string<Char> actual = to_string(buffer);
@@ -1224,7 +1224,7 @@ struct formatter<Date> {
   }
 
   auto format(const Date &d, context &ctx) {
-    format_range(ctx.range(), "{}-{}-{}", d.year(), d.month(), d.day());
+    format_to(ctx.begin(), "{}-{}-{}", d.year(), d.month(), d.day());
     return ctx.begin();
   }
 };
@@ -1509,7 +1509,7 @@ class mock_arg_formatter :
 
 void custom_vformat(fmt::string_view format_str, fmt::format_args args) {
   fmt::memory_buffer buffer;
-  fmt::vformat_to<mock_arg_formatter>(buffer, format_str, args);
+  fmt::do_vformat_to<mock_arg_formatter>(buffer, format_str, args);
 }
 
 template <typename... Args>
@@ -1907,3 +1907,18 @@ TEST(FormatTest, FormatStringErrors) {
                "cannot switch from automatic to manual argument indexing",
                int, int);
 }
+
+TEST(FormatTest, OutputIterator) {
+
+  std::string s;
+  fmt::format_to(std::back_inserter(s), "{}", 42);
+  std::vector<char> v;
+  fmt::format_to(std::back_inserter(v), "{}", 42);
+
+  EXPECT_EQ("42", s);
+  EXPECT_EQ("42", std::string(v.begin(), v.end()));
+}
+
+TEST(StringTest, ToString) {
+  EXPECT_EQ("42", fmt::to_string(42));
+}
diff --git a/test/ostream-test.cc b/test/ostream-test.cc
index 05993f20..3f93dbd4 100644
--- a/test/ostream-test.cc
+++ b/test/ostream-test.cc
@@ -136,12 +136,12 @@ TEST(OStreamTest, WriteToOStreamMaxSize) {
   if (max_size <= fmt::internal::to_unsigned(max_streamsize))
     return;
 
-  struct TestBuffer : fmt::basic_buffer<char> {
-    explicit TestBuffer(std::size_t size) { resize(size); }
+  struct test_buffer : fmt::buffer {
+    explicit test_buffer(std::size_t size) { resize(size); }
     void grow(std::size_t) {}
   } buffer(max_size);
 
-  struct MockStreamBuf : std::streambuf {
+  struct mock_streambuf : std::streambuf {
     MOCK_METHOD2(xsputn, std::streamsize (const void *s, std::streamsize n));
     std::streamsize xsputn(const char *s, std::streamsize n) {
       const void *v = s;
@@ -149,16 +149,16 @@ TEST(OStreamTest, WriteToOStreamMaxSize) {
     }
   } streambuf;
 
-  struct TestOStream : std::ostream {
-    explicit TestOStream(MockStreamBuf &buffer) : std::ostream(&buffer) {}
+  struct test_ostream : std::ostream {
+    explicit test_ostream(mock_streambuf &buffer) : std::ostream(&buffer) {}
   } os(streambuf);
 
   testing::InSequence sequence;
   const char *data = 0;
   std::size_t size = max_size;
   do {
-    typedef std::make_unsigned<std::streamsize>::type UStreamSize;
-    UStreamSize n = std::min<UStreamSize>(
+    typedef std::make_unsigned<std::streamsize>::type ustreamsize;
+    ustreamsize n = std::min<ustreamsize>(
           size, fmt::internal::to_unsigned(max_streamsize));
     EXPECT_CALL(streambuf, xsputn(data, static_cast<std::streamsize>(n)))
         .WillOnce(testing::Return(max_streamsize));
diff --git a/test/string-test.cc b/test/string-test.cc
deleted file mode 100644
index 3c6315d6..00000000
--- a/test/string-test.cc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,71 +0,0 @@
-/*
- Tests of string utilities
-
- Copyright (c) 2012 - 2016, Victor Zverovich
- All rights reserved.
-
- For the license information refer to format.h.
- */
-
-#include "fmt/string.h"
-#include "gtest/gtest.h"
-
-using fmt::string_buffer;
-
-TEST(StringBufferTest, Empty) {
-  string_buffer buffer;
-  EXPECT_EQ(0u, buffer.size());
-  EXPECT_EQ(0u, buffer.capacity());
-  std::string data;
-  // std::string may have initial capacity.
-  std::size_t capacity = data.capacity();
-  buffer.move_to(data);
-  EXPECT_EQ("", data);
-  EXPECT_EQ(capacity, data.capacity());
-}
-
-TEST(StringBufferTest, Reserve) {
-  string_buffer buffer;
-  std::size_t capacity = std::string().capacity() + 10;
-  buffer.reserve(capacity);
-  EXPECT_EQ(0u, buffer.size());
-  EXPECT_EQ(capacity, buffer.capacity());
-  std::string data;
-  buffer.move_to(data);
-  EXPECT_EQ("", data);
-}
-
-TEST(StringBufferTest, Resize) {
-  string_buffer buffer;
-  std::size_t size = std::string().capacity() + 10;
-  buffer.resize(size);
-  EXPECT_EQ(size, buffer.size());
-  EXPECT_EQ(size, buffer.capacity());
-  std::string data;
-  buffer.move_to(data);
-  EXPECT_EQ(size, data.size());
-}
-
-TEST(StringBufferTest, MoveTo) {
-  string_buffer buffer;
-  std::size_t size = std::string().capacity() + 10;
-  buffer.resize(size);
-  const char *p = &buffer[0];
-  std::string data;
-  buffer.move_to(data);
-  EXPECT_EQ(p, &data[0]);
-  EXPECT_EQ(0u, buffer.size());
-  EXPECT_EQ(0u, buffer.capacity());
-}
-
-TEST(StringBufferTest, WString) {
-  fmt::wstring_buffer out;
-  out.push_back(L'x');
-  std::wstring s;
-  out.move_to(s);
-  EXPECT_EQ(L"x", s);
-}
-
-TEST(StringTest, ToString) {
-  EXPECT_EQ("42", fmt::to_string(42));
-}
diff --git a/test/util-test.cc b/test/util-test.cc
index d23107ab..42399e78 100644
--- a/test/util-test.cc
+++ b/test/util-test.cc
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@
 #undef max
 
 using fmt::basic_arg;
-using fmt::basic_buffer;
+using fmt::internal::basic_buffer;
 using fmt::basic_memory_buffer;
 using fmt::string_view;
 using fmt::internal::value;
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ TEST(BufferTest, Access) {
   EXPECT_EQ(11, buffer[0]);
   buffer[3] = 42;
   EXPECT_EQ(42, *(&buffer[0] + 3));
-  const fmt::basic_buffer<char> &const_buffer = buffer;
+  const basic_buffer<char> &const_buffer = buffer;
   EXPECT_EQ(42, const_buffer[3]);
 }