diff --git a/include/fmt/chrono.h b/include/fmt/chrono.h
index 29f7a250..6faf3e06 100644
--- a/include/fmt/chrono.h
+++ b/include/fmt/chrono.h
@@ -1100,8 +1100,6 @@ struct formatter<std::chrono::duration<Rep, Period>, Char> {
     // is not specified.
     basic_memory_buffer<Char> buf;
     auto out = std::back_inserter(buf);
-    using range = internal::output_range<decltype(ctx.out()), Char>;
-    internal::basic_writer<range> w(range(ctx.out()));
     internal::handle_dynamic_spec<internal::width_checker>(specs.width,
                                                            width_ref, ctx);
     internal::handle_dynamic_spec<internal::precision_checker>(
@@ -1115,8 +1113,8 @@ struct formatter<std::chrono::duration<Rep, Period>, Char> {
       f.precision = precision;
       parse_chrono_format(begin, end, f);
     }
-    w.write(buf.data(), buf.size(), specs);
-    return w.out();
+    return internal::write(
+        ctx.out(), basic_string_view<Char>(buf.data(), buf.size()), specs);
   }
 };
 
diff --git a/include/fmt/compile.h b/include/fmt/compile.h
index 215f50bc..ed4795d8 100644
--- a/include/fmt/compile.h
+++ b/include/fmt/compile.h
@@ -383,9 +383,7 @@ OutputIt format_default(OutputIt out, T value) {
 
 template <typename Char, typename OutputIt>
 OutputIt format_default(OutputIt out, double value) {
-  basic_writer<buffer_range<char>> w(out);
-  w.write(value);
-  return w.out();
+  return internal::write(out, value);
 }
 
 template <typename Char, typename OutputIt>
diff --git a/include/fmt/format.h b/include/fmt/format.h
index 8395d32e..832ad2eb 100644
--- a/include/fmt/format.h
+++ b/include/fmt/format.h
@@ -1561,6 +1561,16 @@ template <typename OutputIt, typename Char, typename UInt> struct int_writer {
   }
 };
 
+template <typename Char, typename OutputIt>
+OutputIt write_bytes(OutputIt out, string_view bytes,
+                     const basic_format_specs<Char>& specs) {
+  using iterator = remove_reference_t<decltype(reserve(out, 0))>;
+  return write_padded(out, specs, bytes.size(), [bytes](iterator it) {
+    const char* data = bytes.data();
+    return copy_str<Char>(data, data + bytes.size(), it);
+  });
+}
+
 template <typename Char, typename OutputIt>
 OutputIt write_nonfinite(OutputIt out, bool isinf,
                          const basic_format_specs<Char>& specs,
@@ -1577,6 +1587,71 @@ OutputIt write_nonfinite(OutputIt out, bool isinf,
   });
 }
 
+template <typename Char, typename OutputIt, typename T,
+          FMT_ENABLE_IF(std::is_floating_point<T>::value)>
+OutputIt write(OutputIt out, T value, basic_format_specs<Char> specs = {},
+               locale_ref loc = {}) {
+  if (const_check(!is_supported_floating_point(value))) return out;
+  float_specs fspecs = parse_float_type_spec(specs);
+  fspecs.sign = specs.sign;
+  if (std::signbit(value)) {  // value < 0 is false for NaN so use signbit.
+    fspecs.sign = sign::minus;
+    value = -value;
+  } else if (fspecs.sign == sign::minus) {
+    fspecs.sign = sign::none;
+  }
+
+  if (!std::isfinite(value))
+    return write_nonfinite(out, std::isinf(value), specs, fspecs);
+
+  if (specs.align == align::numeric && fspecs.sign) {
+    auto it = reserve(out, 1);
+    *it++ = static_cast<Char>(data::signs[fspecs.sign]);
+    out = base_iterator(out, it);
+    fspecs.sign = sign::none;
+    if (specs.width != 0) --specs.width;
+  }
+
+  memory_buffer buffer;
+  if (fspecs.format == float_format::hex) {
+    if (fspecs.sign) buffer.push_back(data::signs[fspecs.sign]);
+    snprintf_float(promote_float(value), specs.precision, fspecs, buffer);
+    return write_bytes(out, {buffer.data(), buffer.size()}, specs);
+  }
+  int precision = specs.precision >= 0 || !specs.type ? specs.precision : 6;
+  if (fspecs.format == float_format::exp) {
+    if (precision == max_value<int>())
+      FMT_THROW(format_error("number is too big"));
+    else
+      ++precision;
+  }
+  if (const_check(std::is_same<T, float>())) fspecs.binary32 = true;
+  fspecs.use_grisu = use_grisu<T>();
+  int exp = format_float(promote_float(value), precision, fspecs, buffer);
+  fspecs.precision = precision;
+  Char point =
+      fspecs.locale ? decimal_point<Char>(loc) : static_cast<Char>('.');
+  float_writer<Char> w(buffer.data(), static_cast<int>(buffer.size()), exp,
+                       fspecs, point);
+  return write_padded<align::right>(out, specs, w.size(), w);
+}
+
+template <typename StrChar, typename Char, typename OutputIt>
+OutputIt write(OutputIt out, basic_string_view<StrChar> s,
+               const basic_format_specs<Char>& specs = {}) {
+  auto data = s.data();
+  auto size = s.size();
+  if (specs.precision >= 0 && to_unsigned(specs.precision) < size)
+    size = code_point_index(s, to_unsigned(specs.precision));
+  auto width = specs.width != 0
+                   ? count_code_points(basic_string_view<StrChar>(data, size))
+                   : 0;
+  using iterator = remove_reference_t<decltype(reserve(out, 0))>;
+  return write_padded(out, specs, size, width, [=](iterator it) {
+    return copy_str<Char>(data, data + size, it);
+  });
+}
+
 template <typename Char, typename OutputIt, typename UIntPtr>
 OutputIt write_ptr(OutputIt out, UIntPtr value,
                    const basic_format_specs<Char>* specs) {
@@ -1592,27 +1667,21 @@ OutputIt write_ptr(OutputIt out, UIntPtr value,
                : base_iterator(out, write(reserve(out, size)));
 }
 
-template <typename Char, typename OutputIt>
-OutputIt write_bytes(OutputIt out, string_view bytes,
-                     const basic_format_specs<Char>& specs) {
-  using iterator = remove_reference_t<decltype(reserve(out, 0))>;
-  return write_padded(out, specs, bytes.size(), [bytes](iterator it) {
-    const char* data = bytes.data();
-    return copy_str<Char>(data, data + bytes.size(), it);
-  });
-}
+template <typename T> struct is_integral : std::is_integral<T> {};
+template <> struct is_integral<int128_t> : std::true_type {};
+template <> struct is_integral<uint128_t> : std::true_type {};
 
-// This template provides operations for formatting and writing data into a
-// character range.
-template <typename Range> class basic_writer {
+template <typename Range, typename ErrorHandler = internal::error_handler>
+class arg_formatter_base {
  public:
   using char_type = typename Range::value_type;
   using iterator = typename Range::iterator;
   using format_specs = basic_format_specs<char_type>;
 
- protected:
+ private:
   iterator out_;  // Output iterator.
   locale_ref locale_;
+  format_specs* specs_;
 
   // Attempts to reserve space for n extra characters in the output range.
   // Returns a pointer to the reserved range or a reference to out_.
@@ -1620,6 +1689,27 @@ template <typename Range> class basic_writer {
     return internal::reserve(out_, n);
   }
 
+  using reserve_iterator = remove_reference_t<decltype(
+      internal::reserve(std::declval<iterator&>(), 0))>;
+
+  struct char_writer {
+    char_type value;
+
+    size_t size() const { return 1; }
+
+    template <typename It> It operator()(It it) const {
+      *it++ = value;
+      return it;
+    }
+  };
+
+  void write_char(char_type value) {
+    if (specs_)
+      out_ = write_padded(out_, *specs_, 1, char_writer{value});
+    else
+      write(value);
+  }
+
   // Writes a decimal integer.
   template <typename Int> void write_decimal(Int value) {
     auto abs_value = static_cast<uint32_or_64_or_128_t<Int>>(value);
@@ -1632,15 +1722,6 @@ template <typename Range> class basic_writer {
     it = format_decimal<char_type>(it, abs_value, num_digits);
   }
 
-  using reserve_iterator = remove_reference_t<decltype(
-      internal::reserve(std::declval<iterator&>(), 0))>;
-
- public:
-  explicit basic_writer(Range out, locale_ref loc = locale_ref())
-      : out_(out.begin()), locale_(loc) {}
-
-  iterator& out() { return out_; }
-
   void write(int value) { write_decimal(value); }
   void write(long value) { write_decimal(value); }
   void write(long long value) { write_decimal(value); }
@@ -1661,55 +1742,6 @@ template <typename Range> class basic_writer {
     out_ = w.out;
   }
 
-  template <typename T, FMT_ENABLE_IF(std::is_floating_point<T>::value)>
-  void write(T value, format_specs specs = {}) {
-    if (const_check(!is_supported_floating_point(value))) return;
-    float_specs fspecs = parse_float_type_spec(specs);
-    fspecs.sign = specs.sign;
-    if (std::signbit(value)) {  // value < 0 is false for NaN so use signbit.
-      fspecs.sign = sign::minus;
-      value = -value;
-    } else if (fspecs.sign == sign::minus) {
-      fspecs.sign = sign::none;
-    }
-
-    if (!std::isfinite(value)) {
-      out_ = write_nonfinite(out_, std::isinf(value), specs, fspecs);
-      return;
-    }
-
-    if (specs.align == align::numeric && fspecs.sign) {
-      auto&& it = reserve(1);
-      *it++ = static_cast<char_type>(data::signs[fspecs.sign]);
-      fspecs.sign = sign::none;
-      if (specs.width != 0) --specs.width;
-    }
-
-    memory_buffer buffer;
-    if (fspecs.format == float_format::hex) {
-      if (fspecs.sign) buffer.push_back(data::signs[fspecs.sign]);
-      snprintf_float(promote_float(value), specs.precision, fspecs, buffer);
-      out_ = write_bytes(out_, {buffer.data(), buffer.size()}, specs);
-      return;
-    }
-    int precision = specs.precision >= 0 || !specs.type ? specs.precision : 6;
-    if (fspecs.format == float_format::exp) {
-      if (precision == max_value<int>())
-        FMT_THROW(format_error("number is too big"));
-      else
-        ++precision;
-    }
-    if (const_check(std::is_same<T, float>())) fspecs.binary32 = true;
-    fspecs.use_grisu = use_grisu<T>();
-    int exp = format_float(promote_float(value), precision, fspecs, buffer);
-    fspecs.precision = precision;
-    char_type point = fspecs.locale ? decimal_point<char_type>(locale_)
-                                    : static_cast<char_type>('.');
-    float_writer<char_type> w(buffer.data(), static_cast<int>(buffer.size()),
-                              exp, fspecs, point);
-    out_ = write_padded<align::right>(out_, specs, w.size(), w);
-  }
-
   void write(char value) {
     auto&& it = reserve(1);
     *it++ = value;
@@ -1743,49 +1775,7 @@ template <typename Range> class basic_writer {
 
   template <typename Char>
   void write(basic_string_view<Char> s, const format_specs& specs = {}) {
-    const Char* data = s.data();
-    std::size_t size = s.size();
-    if (specs.precision >= 0 && to_unsigned(specs.precision) < size)
-      size = code_point_index(s, to_unsigned(specs.precision));
-    write(data, size, specs);
-  }
-};
-
-template <typename T> struct is_integral : std::is_integral<T> {};
-template <> struct is_integral<int128_t> : std::true_type {};
-template <> struct is_integral<uint128_t> : std::true_type {};
-
-template <typename Range, typename ErrorHandler = internal::error_handler>
-class arg_formatter_base : private basic_writer<Range> {
- public:
-  using char_type = typename Range::value_type;
-  using iterator = typename Range::iterator;
-  using format_specs = basic_format_specs<char_type>;
-
- private:
-  using writer_type = basic_writer<Range>;
-  using writer_type::out_;
-  format_specs* specs_;
-
-  using writer_type::write;
-  using writer_type::write_int;
-
-  struct char_writer {
-    char_type value;
-
-    size_t size() const { return 1; }
-
-    template <typename It> It operator()(It it) const {
-      *it++ = value;
-      return it;
-    }
-  };
-
-  void write_char(char_type value) {
-    if (specs_)
-      out() = write_padded(out(), *specs_, 1, char_writer{value});
-    else
-      write(value);
+    out_ = internal::write(out_, s, specs);
   }
 
   void write_pointer(const void* p) {
@@ -1793,8 +1783,7 @@ class arg_formatter_base : private basic_writer<Range> {
   }
 
  protected:
-  using writer_type::out;
-  writer_type& writer() { return *this; }
+  iterator out() { return out_; }
   format_specs* specs() { return specs_; }
 
   void write(bool value) {
@@ -1814,7 +1803,7 @@ class arg_formatter_base : private basic_writer<Range> {
 
  public:
   arg_formatter_base(Range r, format_specs* s, locale_ref loc)
-      : basic_writer<Range>(r, loc), specs_(s) {}
+      : out_(r.begin()), locale_(loc), specs_(s) {}
 
   iterator operator()(monostate) {
     FMT_ASSERT(false, "invalid argument type");
@@ -1844,8 +1833,9 @@ class arg_formatter_base : private basic_writer<Range> {
 
   template <typename T, FMT_ENABLE_IF(std::is_floating_point<T>::value)>
   iterator operator()(T value) {
+    auto specs = specs_ ? *specs_ : format_specs();
     if (const_check(is_supported_floating_point(value)))
-      write(value, specs_ ? *specs_ : format_specs());
+      out_ = internal::write(out_, value, specs, locale_);
     else
       FMT_ASSERT(false, "unsupported float argument type");
     return out();
@@ -2503,7 +2493,7 @@ template <typename Handler, typename Char> struct id_adapter {
 template <bool IS_CONSTEXPR, typename Char, typename Handler>
 FMT_CONSTEXPR void parse_format_string(basic_string_view<Char> format_str,
                                        Handler&& handler) {
-  struct pfs_writer {
+  struct writer {
     FMT_CONSTEXPR void operator()(const Char* begin, const Char* end) {
       if (begin == end) return;
       for (;;) {
@@ -3336,21 +3326,21 @@ extern template FMT_API char thousands_sep_impl<char>(locale_ref loc);
 extern template FMT_API wchar_t thousands_sep_impl<wchar_t>(locale_ref loc);
 extern template FMT_API char decimal_point_impl(locale_ref loc);
 extern template FMT_API wchar_t decimal_point_impl(locale_ref loc);
-extern template
-int format_float<double>(double value, int precision, float_specs specs,
-                         buffer<char>& buf);
-extern template
-int format_float<long double>(long double value, int precision,
-                              float_specs specs, buffer<char>& buf);
+extern template int format_float<double>(double value, int precision,
+                                         float_specs specs, buffer<char>& buf);
+extern template int format_float<long double>(long double value, int precision,
+                                              float_specs specs,
+                                              buffer<char>& buf);
 int snprintf_float(float value, int precision, float_specs specs,
                    buffer<char>& buf) = delete;
-extern template
-int snprintf_float<double>(double value, int precision, float_specs specs,
-                           buffer<char>& buf);
-extern template
-int snprintf_float<long double>(long double value, int precision,
-                                float_specs specs, buffer<char>& buf);
-}
+extern template int snprintf_float<double>(double value, int precision,
+                                           float_specs specs,
+                                           buffer<char>& buf);
+extern template int snprintf_float<long double>(long double value,
+                                                int precision,
+                                                float_specs specs,
+                                                buffer<char>& buf);
+}  // namespace internal
 #endif
 
 template <typename S, typename Char = char_t<S>,
diff --git a/include/fmt/printf.h b/include/fmt/printf.h
index 6f2c2ada..a3f087d4 100644
--- a/include/fmt/printf.h
+++ b/include/fmt/printf.h
@@ -328,7 +328,9 @@ template <typename T> struct printf_formatter {
   }
 };
 
-/** This template formats data and writes the output to a writer. */
+/**
+ This template formats data and writes the output through an output iterator.
+ */
 template <typename OutputIt, typename Char> class basic_printf_context {
  public:
   /** The character type for the output. */
@@ -358,9 +360,8 @@ template <typename OutputIt, typename Char> class basic_printf_context {
  public:
   /**
    \rst
-   Constructs a ``printf_context`` object. References to the arguments and
-   the writer are stored in the context object so make sure they have
-   appropriate lifetimes.
+   Constructs a ``printf_context`` object. References to the arguments are
+   stored in the context object so make sure they have appropriate lifetimes.
    \endrst
    */
   basic_printf_context(OutputIt out, basic_string_view<char_type> format_str,
diff --git a/test/format-test.cc b/test/format-test.cc
index 46629d1d..e7daf1d7 100644
--- a/test/format-test.cc
+++ b/test/format-test.cc
@@ -35,8 +35,6 @@
 #include "util.h"
 
 #undef ERROR
-#undef min
-#undef max
 
 using std::size_t;
 
@@ -47,7 +45,6 @@ using fmt::memory_buffer;
 using fmt::string_view;
 using fmt::wmemory_buffer;
 using fmt::wstring_view;
-using fmt::internal::basic_writer;
 using fmt::internal::max_value;
 
 using testing::Return;
@@ -102,47 +99,6 @@ void std_format(long double value, std::wstring& result) {
   result = buffer;
 }
 #endif
-
-// Checks if writing value to BasicWriter<Char> produces the same result
-// as writing it to std::basic_ostringstream<Char>.
-template <typename Char, typename T>
-::testing::AssertionResult check_write(const T& value, const char* type) {
-  fmt::basic_memory_buffer<Char> buffer;
-  using range = fmt::buffer_range<Char>;
-  basic_writer<range> writer(buffer);
-  writer.write(value);
-  std::basic_string<Char> actual = to_string(buffer);
-  std::basic_string<Char> expected;
-  std_format(value, expected);
-  if (expected == actual) return ::testing::AssertionSuccess();
-  return ::testing::AssertionFailure()
-         << "Value of: (Writer<" << type << ">() << value).str()\n"
-         << "  Actual: " << actual << "\n"
-         << "Expected: " << expected << "\n";
-}
-
-struct AnyWriteChecker {
-  template <typename T>
-  ::testing::AssertionResult operator()(const char*, const T& value) const {
-    ::testing::AssertionResult result = check_write<char>(value, "char");
-    return result ? check_write<wchar_t>(value, "wchar_t") : result;
-  }
-};
-
-template <typename Char> struct WriteChecker {
-  template <typename T>
-  ::testing::AssertionResult operator()(const char*, const T& value) const {
-    return check_write<Char>(value, "char");
-  }
-};
-
-// Checks if writing value to BasicWriter produces the same result
-// as writing it to std::ostringstream both for char and wchar_t.
-#define CHECK_WRITE(value) EXPECT_PRED_FORMAT1(AnyWriteChecker(), value)
-
-#define CHECK_WRITE_CHAR(value) EXPECT_PRED_FORMAT1(WriteChecker<char>(), value)
-#define CHECK_WRITE_WCHAR(value) \
-  EXPECT_PRED_FORMAT1(WriteChecker<wchar_t>(), value)
 }  // namespace
 
 struct uint32_pair {
@@ -479,92 +435,6 @@ TEST(StringViewTest, Ctor) {
   EXPECT_EQ(4u, string_view(std::string("defg")).size());
 }
 
-TEST(WriterTest, WriteInt) {
-  CHECK_WRITE(42);
-  CHECK_WRITE(-42);
-  CHECK_WRITE(static_cast<short>(12));
-  CHECK_WRITE(34u);
-  CHECK_WRITE(std::numeric_limits<int>::min());
-  CHECK_WRITE(max_value<int>());
-  CHECK_WRITE(max_value<unsigned>());
-}
-
-TEST(WriterTest, WriteLong) {
-  CHECK_WRITE(56l);
-  CHECK_WRITE(78ul);
-  CHECK_WRITE(std::numeric_limits<long>::min());
-  CHECK_WRITE(max_value<long>());
-  CHECK_WRITE(max_value<unsigned long>());
-}
-
-TEST(WriterTest, WriteLongLong) {
-  CHECK_WRITE(56ll);
-  CHECK_WRITE(78ull);
-  CHECK_WRITE(std::numeric_limits<long long>::min());
-  CHECK_WRITE(max_value<long long>());
-  CHECK_WRITE(max_value<unsigned long long>());
-}
-
-TEST(WriterTest, WriteDouble) {
-  CHECK_WRITE(4.2);
-  CHECK_WRITE(-4.2);
-  auto min = std::numeric_limits<double>::min();
-  auto max = max_value<double>();
-  if (fmt::internal::use_grisu<double>()) {
-    EXPECT_EQ("2.2250738585072014e-308", fmt::format("{}", min));
-    EXPECT_EQ("1.7976931348623157e+308", fmt::format("{}", max));
-  } else {
-    CHECK_WRITE(min);
-    CHECK_WRITE(max);
-  }
-}
-
-TEST(WriterTest, WriteLongDouble) {
-  CHECK_WRITE(4.2l);
-  CHECK_WRITE_CHAR(-4.2l);
-  std::wstring str;
-  std_format(4.2l, str);
-  if (str[0] != '-')
-    CHECK_WRITE_WCHAR(-4.2l);
-  else
-    fmt::print("warning: long double formatting with std::swprintf is broken");
-  auto min = std::numeric_limits<long double>::min();
-  auto max = max_value<long double>();
-  if (fmt::internal::use_grisu<long double>()) {
-    EXPECT_EQ("2.2250738585072014e-308", fmt::format("{}", min));
-    EXPECT_EQ("1.7976931348623157e+308", fmt::format("{}", max));
-  } else {
-    CHECK_WRITE(min);
-    CHECK_WRITE(max);
-  }
-}
-
-TEST(WriterTest, WriteDoubleAtBufferBoundary) {
-  memory_buffer buf;
-  for (int i = 0; i < 100; ++i) fmt::format_to(buf, "{}", 1.23456789);
-}
-
-TEST(WriterTest, WriteDoubleWithFilledBuffer) {
-  memory_buffer buf;
-  // Fill the buffer.
-  for (int i = 0; i < fmt::inline_buffer_size; ++i) fmt::format_to(buf, " ");
-  fmt::format_to(buf, "{}", 1.2);
-  fmt::string_view sv(buf.data(), buf.size());
-  sv.remove_prefix(fmt::inline_buffer_size);
-  EXPECT_EQ("1.2", sv);
-}
-
-TEST(WriterTest, WriteChar) { CHECK_WRITE('a'); }
-
-TEST(WriterTest, WriteWideChar) { CHECK_WRITE_WCHAR(L'a'); }
-
-TEST(WriterTest, WriteString) {
-  CHECK_WRITE_CHAR("abc");
-  CHECK_WRITE_WCHAR("abc");
-}
-
-TEST(WriterTest, WriteWideString) { CHECK_WRITE_WCHAR(L"abc"); }
-
 TEST(FormatToTest, FormatWithoutArgs) {
   std::string s;
   fmt::format_to(std::back_inserter(s), "test");