diff --git a/doc/jsoncpp.dox b/doc/jsoncpp.dox
index f193719..17d82d5 100644
--- a/doc/jsoncpp.dox
+++ b/doc/jsoncpp.dox
@@ -73,24 +73,31 @@ for ( int index = 0; index < plugins.size(); ++index )  // Iterates over the seq
 setIndentLength( root["indent"].get("length", 3).asInt() );
 setIndentUseSpace( root["indent"].get("use_space", true).asBool() );
 
-// ...
-// At application shutdown to make the new configuration document:
 // Since Json::Value has implicit constructor for all value types, it is not
 // necessary to explicitly construct the Json::Value object:
 root["encoding"] = getCurrentEncoding();
 root["indent"]["length"] = getCurrentIndentLength();
 root["indent"]["use_space"] = getCurrentIndentUseSpace();
 
-Json::StyledWriter writer;
-// Make a new JSON document for the configuration. Preserve original comments.
-std::string outputConfig = writer.write( root );
+// To write into a steam with minimal memory overhead,
+// create a Builder for a StreamWriter.
+Json::StreamWriter::Builder builder;
+builder.withIndentation("   ");  // or whatever you like
 
-// You can also use streams.  This will put the contents of any JSON
+// Then build a StreamWriter.
+// (Of course, you can write to std::ostringstream if you prefer.)
+std::shared_ptr<Json::StreamWriter> writer(
+    builder.newStreamWriter( &std::cout );
+
+// Make a new JSON document for the configuration. Preserve original comments.
+writer->write( root );
+
+// If you like the defaults, you can insert directly into a stream.
+std::cout << root;
+
+// You can also read from a stream.  This will put the contents of any JSON
 // stream at a particular sub-value, if you'd like.
 std::cin >> root["subtree"];
-
-// And you can write to a stream, using the StyledWriter automatically.
-std::cout << root;
 \endcode
 
 \section _pbuild Build instructions
diff --git a/include/json/writer.h b/include/json/writer.h
index cacb10e..fb824e3 100644
--- a/include/json/writer.h
+++ b/include/json/writer.h
@@ -22,8 +22,88 @@
 namespace Json {
 
 class Value;
+class StreamWriterBuilder;
+
+/**
+
+Usage:
+
+  using namespace Json;
+  Value value;
+  StreamWriter::Builder builder;
+  builder.withCommentStyle(StreamWriter::CommentStyle::None);
+  std::shared_ptr<StreamWriter> writer(
+    builder.newStreamWriter(&std::cout));
+  writer->write(value);
+  std::cout.flush();
+*/
+class JSON_API StreamWriter {
+protected:
+  std::ostream& sout_;  // not owned; will not delete
+public:
+  /// `All`: Keep all comments.
+  /// `None`: Drop all comments.
+  /// Use `Most` to recover the odd behavior of previous versions.
+  /// Only `All` is currently implemented.
+  enum class CommentStyle {None, Most, All};
+
+  /// Keep a reference, but do not take ownership of `sout`.
+  StreamWriter(std::ostream* sout);
+  virtual ~StreamWriter();
+  /// Write Value into document as configured in sub-class.
+  /// \return zero on success
+  /// \throw std::exception possibly, depending on configuration
+  virtual int write(Value const& root) = 0;
+
+  /// Because this Builder is non-virtual, we can safely add
+  /// methods without a major version bump.
+  /// \see http://stackoverflow.com/questions/14875052/pure-virtual-functions-and-binary-compatibility
+  class Builder {
+    StreamWriterBuilder* own_;
+    Builder(Builder const&);  // noncopyable
+    void operator=(Builder const&);  // noncopyable
+  public:
+    Builder();
+    ~Builder();  // delete underlying StreamWriterBuilder
+
+    Builder& withCommentStyle(CommentStyle cs);  /// default: All
+    /** \brief Write in human-friendly style.
+
+        If "", then skip all indentation, newlines, and comments,
+        which implies CommentStyle::None.
+        Default: "\t"
+    */
+    Builder& withIndentation(std::string indentation);
+    /** \brief Drop the "null" string from the writer's output for nullValues.
+    * Strictly speaking, this is not valid JSON. But when the output is being
+    * fed to a browser's Javascript, it makes for smaller output and the
+    * browser can handle the output just fine.
+    */
+    Builder& withDropNullPlaceholders(bool v);
+    /** \brief Do not add \n at end of document.
+     * Normally, we add an extra newline, just because.
+     */
+    Builder& withOmitEndingLineFeed(bool v);
+    /** \brief Add a space after ':'.
+     * If indentation is non-empty, we surround colon with whitespace,
+     * e.g. " : "
+     * This will add back the trailing space when there is no indentation.
+     * This seems dubious when the entire document is on a single line,
+     * but we leave this here to repduce the behavior of the old `FastWriter`.
+     */
+    Builder& withEnableYAMLCompatibility(bool v);
+
+    /// Do not take ownership of sout, but maintain a reference.
+    StreamWriter* newStreamWriter(std::ostream* sout) const;
+  };
+};
+
+/// \brief Write into stringstream, then return string, for convenience.
+std::string writeString(Value const& root, StreamWriter::Builder const& builder);
+
 
 /** \brief Abstract class for writers.
+ * \deprecated Use StreamWriter::Builder.
  */
 class JSON_API Writer {
 public:
@@ -39,6 +119,7 @@ public:
  *consumption,
  * but may be usefull to support feature such as RPC where bandwith is limited.
  * \sa Reader, Value
+ * \deprecated Use StreamWriter::Builder.
  */
 class JSON_API FastWriter : public Writer {
 public:
@@ -90,6 +171,7 @@ private:
  *#CommentPlacement.
  *
  * \sa Reader, Value, Value::setComment()
+ * \deprecated Use StreamWriter::Builder.
  */
 class JSON_API StyledWriter : public Writer {
 public:
@@ -151,6 +233,7 @@ private:
  *
  * \param indentation Each level will be indented by this amount extra.
  * \sa Reader, Value, Value::setComment()
+ * \deprecated Use StreamWriter::Builder.
  */
 class JSON_API StyledStreamWriter {
 public:
diff --git a/src/jsontestrunner/main.cpp b/src/jsontestrunner/main.cpp
index f6f12b8..3a2229c 100644
--- a/src/jsontestrunner/main.cpp
+++ b/src/jsontestrunner/main.cpp
@@ -151,7 +151,6 @@ static int parseAndSaveValueTree(const std::string& input,
            reader.getFormattedErrorMessages().c_str());
     return 1;
   }
-
   if (!parseOnly) {
     FILE* factual = fopen(actual.c_str(), "wt");
     if (!factual) {
@@ -182,6 +181,13 @@ static std::string useStyledStreamWriter(
   writer.write(sout, root);
   return sout.str();
 }
+static std::string useBuiltStyledStreamWriter(
+    Json::Value const& root)
+{
+  Json::StreamWriter::Builder builder;
+  builder.withCommentStyle(Json::StreamWriter::CommentStyle::All);
+  return writeString(root, builder);
+}
 static int rewriteValueTree(
     const std::string& rewritePath,
     const Json::Value& root,
@@ -248,6 +254,8 @@ static int parseCommandLine(
       opts->write = &useStyledWriter;
     } else if (writerName == "StyledStreamWriter") {
       opts->write = &useStyledStreamWriter;
+    } else if (writerName == "BuiltStyledStreamWriter") {
+      opts->write = &useBuiltStyledStreamWriter;
     } else {
       printf("Unknown '--json-writer %s'\n", writerName.c_str());
       return 4;
diff --git a/src/lib_json/json_writer.cpp b/src/lib_json/json_writer.cpp
index f1e3b58..7f542aa 100644
--- a/src/lib_json/json_writer.cpp
+++ b/src/lib_json/json_writer.cpp
@@ -7,13 +7,14 @@
 #include <json/writer.h>
 #include "json_tool.h"
 #endif // if !defined(JSON_IS_AMALGAMATION)
+#include <iomanip>
+#include <memory>
+#include <sstream>
 #include <utility>
 #include <assert.h>
+#include <math.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <string.h>
-#include <sstream>
-#include <iomanip>
-#include <math.h>
 
 #if defined(_MSC_VER) && _MSC_VER < 1500 // VC++ 8.0 and below
 #include <float.h>
@@ -664,9 +665,442 @@ bool StyledStreamWriter::hasCommentForValue(const Value& value) {
          value.hasComment(commentAfter);
 }
 
-std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& sout, const Value& root) {
-  Json::StyledStreamWriter writer;
-  writer.write(sout, root);
+//////////////////////////
+// BuiltStyledStreamWriter
+
+struct BuiltStyledStreamWriter : public StreamWriter
+{
+  BuiltStyledStreamWriter(
+      std::ostream* sout,
+      std::string const& indentation,
+      StreamWriter::CommentStyle cs,
+      std::string const& colonSymbol,
+      std::string const& nullSymbol,
+      std::string const& endingLineFeedSymbol);
+  virtual int write(Value const& root);
+private:
+  void writeValue(Value const& value);
+  void writeArrayValue(Value const& value);
+  bool isMultineArray(Value const& value);
+  void pushValue(std::string const& value);
+  void writeIndent();
+  void writeWithIndent(std::string const& value);
+  void indent();
+  void unindent();
+  void writeCommentBeforeValue(Value const& root);
+  void writeCommentAfterValueOnSameLine(Value const& root);
+  static bool hasCommentForValue(const Value& value);
+
+  typedef std::vector<std::string> ChildValues;
+
+  ChildValues childValues_;
+  std::string indentString_;
+  int rightMargin_;
+  std::string indentation_;
+  CommentStyle cs_;
+  std::string colonSymbol_;
+  std::string nullSymbol_;
+  std::string endingLineFeedSymbol_;
+  bool addChildValues_ : 1;
+  bool indented_ : 1;
+};
+BuiltStyledStreamWriter::BuiltStyledStreamWriter(
+      std::ostream* sout,
+      std::string const& indentation,
+      StreamWriter::CommentStyle cs,
+      std::string const& colonSymbol,
+      std::string const& nullSymbol,
+      std::string const& endingLineFeedSymbol)
+  : StreamWriter(sout)
+  , rightMargin_(74)
+  , indentation_(indentation)
+  , cs_(cs)
+  , colonSymbol_(colonSymbol)
+  , nullSymbol_(nullSymbol)
+  , endingLineFeedSymbol_(endingLineFeedSymbol)
+  , addChildValues_(false)
+  , indented_(false)
+{
+}
+int BuiltStyledStreamWriter::write(Value const& root)
+{
+  addChildValues_ = false;
+  indented_ = true;
+  indentString_ = "";
+  writeCommentBeforeValue(root);
+  if (!indented_) writeIndent();
+  indented_ = true;
+  writeValue(root);
+  writeCommentAfterValueOnSameLine(root);
+  sout_ << endingLineFeedSymbol_;
+  return 0;
+}
+void BuiltStyledStreamWriter::writeValue(Value const& value) {
+  switch (value.type()) {
+  case nullValue:
+    pushValue(nullSymbol_);
+    break;
+  case intValue:
+    pushValue(valueToString(value.asLargestInt()));
+    break;
+  case uintValue:
+    pushValue(valueToString(value.asLargestUInt()));
+    break;
+  case realValue:
+    pushValue(valueToString(value.asDouble()));
+    break;
+  case stringValue:
+    pushValue(valueToQuotedString(value.asCString()));
+    break;
+  case booleanValue:
+    pushValue(valueToString(value.asBool()));
+    break;
+  case arrayValue:
+    writeArrayValue(value);
+    break;
+  case objectValue: {
+    Value::Members members(value.getMemberNames());
+    if (members.empty())
+      pushValue("{}");
+    else {
+      writeWithIndent("{");
+      indent();
+      Value::Members::iterator it = members.begin();
+      for (;;) {
+        std::string const& name = *it;
+        Value const& childValue = value[name];
+        writeCommentBeforeValue(childValue);
+        writeWithIndent(valueToQuotedString(name.c_str()));
+        sout_ << colonSymbol_;
+        writeValue(childValue);
+        if (++it == members.end()) {
+          writeCommentAfterValueOnSameLine(childValue);
+          break;
+        }
+        sout_ << ",";
+        writeCommentAfterValueOnSameLine(childValue);
+      }
+      unindent();
+      writeWithIndent("}");
+    }
+  } break;
+  }
+}
+
+void BuiltStyledStreamWriter::writeArrayValue(Value const& value) {
+  unsigned size = value.size();
+  if (size == 0)
+    pushValue("[]");
+  else {
+    bool isMultiLine = (cs_ == CommentStyle::All) || isMultineArray(value);
+    if (isMultiLine) {
+      writeWithIndent("[");
+      indent();
+      bool hasChildValue = !childValues_.empty();
+      unsigned index = 0;
+      for (;;) {
+        Value const& childValue = value[index];
+        writeCommentBeforeValue(childValue);
+        if (hasChildValue)
+          writeWithIndent(childValues_[index]);
+        else {
+          if (!indented_) writeIndent();
+          indented_ = true;
+          writeValue(childValue);
+          indented_ = false;
+        }
+        if (++index == size) {
+          writeCommentAfterValueOnSameLine(childValue);
+          break;
+        }
+        sout_ << ",";
+        writeCommentAfterValueOnSameLine(childValue);
+      }
+      unindent();
+      writeWithIndent("]");
+    } else // output on a single line
+    {
+      assert(childValues_.size() == size);
+      sout_ << "[";
+      if (!indentation_.empty()) sout_ << " ";
+      for (unsigned index = 0; index < size; ++index) {
+        if (index > 0)
+          sout_ << ", ";
+        sout_ << childValues_[index];
+      }
+      if (!indentation_.empty()) sout_ << " ";
+      sout_ << "]";
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+bool BuiltStyledStreamWriter::isMultineArray(Value const& value) {
+  int size = value.size();
+  bool isMultiLine = size * 3 >= rightMargin_;
+  childValues_.clear();
+  for (int index = 0; index < size && !isMultiLine; ++index) {
+    Value const& childValue = value[index];
+    isMultiLine =
+        isMultiLine || ((childValue.isArray() || childValue.isObject()) &&
+                        childValue.size() > 0);
+  }
+  if (!isMultiLine) // check if line length > max line length
+  {
+    childValues_.reserve(size);
+    addChildValues_ = true;
+    int lineLength = 4 + (size - 1) * 2; // '[ ' + ', '*n + ' ]'
+    for (int index = 0; index < size; ++index) {
+      if (hasCommentForValue(value[index])) {
+        isMultiLine = true;
+      }
+      writeValue(value[index]);
+      lineLength += int(childValues_[index].length());
+    }
+    addChildValues_ = false;
+    isMultiLine = isMultiLine || lineLength >= rightMargin_;
+  }
+  return isMultiLine;
+}
+
+void BuiltStyledStreamWriter::pushValue(std::string const& value) {
+  if (addChildValues_)
+    childValues_.push_back(value);
+  else
+    sout_ << value;
+}
+
+void BuiltStyledStreamWriter::writeIndent() {
+  // blep intended this to look at the so-far-written string
+  // to determine whether we are already indented, but
+  // with a stream we cannot do that. So we rely on some saved state.
+  // The caller checks indented_.
+
+  if (!indentation_.empty()) {
+    // In this case, drop newlines too.
+    sout_ << '\n' << indentString_;
+  }
+}
+
+void BuiltStyledStreamWriter::writeWithIndent(std::string const& value) {
+  if (!indented_) writeIndent();
+  sout_ << value;
+  indented_ = false;
+}
+
+void BuiltStyledStreamWriter::indent() { indentString_ += indentation_; }
+
+void BuiltStyledStreamWriter::unindent() {
+  assert(indentString_.size() >= indentation_.size());
+  indentString_.resize(indentString_.size() - indentation_.size());
+}
+
+void BuiltStyledStreamWriter::writeCommentBeforeValue(Value const& root) {
+  if (cs_ == CommentStyle::None) return;
+  if (!root.hasComment(commentBefore))
+    return;
+
+  if (!indented_) writeIndent();
+  const std::string& comment = root.getComment(commentBefore);
+  std::string::const_iterator iter = comment.begin();
+  while (iter != comment.end()) {
+    sout_ << *iter;
+    if (*iter == '\n' &&
+       (iter != comment.end() && *(iter + 1) == '/'))
+      // writeIndent();  // would write extra newline
+      sout_ << indentString_;
+    ++iter;
+  }
+  indented_ = false;
+}
+
+void BuiltStyledStreamWriter::writeCommentAfterValueOnSameLine(Value const& root) {
+  if (cs_ == CommentStyle::None) return;
+  if (root.hasComment(commentAfterOnSameLine))
+    sout_ << " " + root.getComment(commentAfterOnSameLine);
+
+  if (root.hasComment(commentAfter)) {
+    writeIndent();
+    sout_ << root.getComment(commentAfter);
+  }
+}
+
+// static
+bool BuiltStyledStreamWriter::hasCommentForValue(const Value& value) {
+  return value.hasComment(commentBefore) ||
+         value.hasComment(commentAfterOnSameLine) ||
+         value.hasComment(commentAfter);
+}
+
+///////////////
+// StreamWriter
+
+StreamWriter::StreamWriter(std::ostream* sout)
+    : sout_(*sout)
+{
+}
+StreamWriter::~StreamWriter()
+{
+}
+struct MyStreamWriter : public StreamWriter {
+public:
+  MyStreamWriter(std::ostream* sout);
+  virtual ~MyStreamWriter();
+  virtual int write(Value const& root) = 0;
+};
+MyStreamWriter::MyStreamWriter(std::ostream* sout)
+    : StreamWriter(sout)
+{
+}
+MyStreamWriter::~MyStreamWriter()
+{
+}
+int MyStreamWriter::write(Value const& root)
+{
+  sout_ << root;
+  return 0;
+}
+class StreamWriterBuilder {
+  typedef StreamWriter::CommentStyle CommentStyle;
+  CommentStyle cs_;
+  std::string indentation_;
+  bool dropNullPlaceholders_;
+  bool omitEndingLineFeed_;
+  bool enableYAMLCompatibility_;
+public:
+  StreamWriterBuilder();
+  virtual ~StreamWriterBuilder();
+  virtual void setCommentStyle(CommentStyle cs);
+  virtual void setIndentation(std::string indentation);
+  virtual void setDropNullPlaceholders(bool v);
+  virtual void setOmitEndingLineFeed(bool v);
+  virtual void setEnableYAMLCompatibility(bool v);
+  virtual StreamWriter* newStreamWriter(std::ostream* sout) const;
+};
+StreamWriterBuilder::StreamWriterBuilder()
+  : cs_(CommentStyle::All)
+  , indentation_("\t")
+  , dropNullPlaceholders_(false)
+  , omitEndingLineFeed_(false)
+  , enableYAMLCompatibility_(false)
+{
+}
+StreamWriterBuilder::~StreamWriterBuilder()
+{
+}
+void StreamWriterBuilder::setCommentStyle(CommentStyle v)
+{
+  cs_ = v;
+}
+void StreamWriterBuilder::setIndentation(std::string v)
+{
+  indentation_ = v;
+  if (indentation_.empty()) cs_ = CommentStyle::None;
+}
+void StreamWriterBuilder::setDropNullPlaceholders(bool v)
+{
+  dropNullPlaceholders_ = v;
+}
+void StreamWriterBuilder::setOmitEndingLineFeed(bool v)
+{
+  omitEndingLineFeed_ = v;
+}
+void StreamWriterBuilder::setEnableYAMLCompatibility(bool v)
+{
+  enableYAMLCompatibility_ = v;
+}
+StreamWriter* StreamWriterBuilder::newStreamWriter(std::ostream* stream) const
+{
+  std::string colonSymbol = " : ";
+  if (indentation_.empty()) {
+    if (enableYAMLCompatibility_) {
+      colonSymbol = ": ";
+    } else {
+      colonSymbol = ":";
+    }
+  }
+  std::string nullSymbol = "null";
+  if (dropNullPlaceholders_) {
+    nullSymbol = "";
+  }
+  std::string endingLineFeedSymbol = "\n";
+  if (omitEndingLineFeed_) {
+    endingLineFeedSymbol = "";
+  }
+  return new BuiltStyledStreamWriter(stream,
+      indentation_, cs_,
+      colonSymbol, nullSymbol, endingLineFeedSymbol);
+}
+
+// This might become public someday.
+class StreamWriterBuilderFactory {
+public:
+  virtual ~StreamWriterBuilderFactory();
+  virtual StreamWriterBuilder* newStreamWriterBuilder() const;
+};
+StreamWriterBuilderFactory::~StreamWriterBuilderFactory()
+{
+}
+StreamWriterBuilder* StreamWriterBuilderFactory::newStreamWriterBuilder() const
+{
+  return new StreamWriterBuilder;
+}
+
+StreamWriter::Builder::Builder()
+    : own_(StreamWriterBuilderFactory().newStreamWriterBuilder())
+{
+}
+StreamWriter::Builder::~Builder()
+{
+  delete own_;
+}
+StreamWriter::Builder::Builder(Builder const&)
+  : own_(nullptr)
+{abort();}
+void StreamWriter::Builder::operator=(Builder const&)
+{abort();}
+StreamWriter::Builder& StreamWriter::Builder::withCommentStyle(CommentStyle v)
+{
+  own_->setCommentStyle(v);
+  return *this;
+}
+StreamWriter::Builder& StreamWriter::Builder::withIndentation(std::string v)
+{
+  own_->setIndentation(v);
+  return *this;
+}
+StreamWriter::Builder& StreamWriter::Builder::withDropNullPlaceholders(bool v)
+{
+  own_->setDropNullPlaceholders(v);
+  return *this;
+}
+StreamWriter::Builder& StreamWriter::Builder::withOmitEndingLineFeed(bool v)
+{
+  own_->setOmitEndingLineFeed(v);
+  return *this;
+}
+StreamWriter::Builder& StreamWriter::Builder::withEnableYAMLCompatibility(bool v)
+{
+  own_->setEnableYAMLCompatibility(v);
+  return *this;
+}
+StreamWriter* StreamWriter::Builder::newStreamWriter(std::ostream* sout) const
+{
+  return own_->newStreamWriter(sout);
+}
+
+std::string writeString(Value const& root, StreamWriter::Builder const& builder) {
+  std::ostringstream sout;
+  std::unique_ptr<StreamWriter> const sw(builder.newStreamWriter(&sout));
+  sw->write(root);
+  return sout.str();
+}
+
+std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& sout, Value const& root) {
+  StreamWriter::Builder builder;
+  builder.withCommentStyle(StreamWriter::CommentStyle::All);
+  builder.withIndentation("\t");
+  std::shared_ptr<StreamWriter> writer(builder.newStreamWriter(&sout));
+  writer->write(root);
   return sout;
 }
 
diff --git a/test/runjsontests.py b/test/runjsontests.py
index 728d415..597bf2f 100644
--- a/test/runjsontests.py
+++ b/test/runjsontests.py
@@ -147,16 +147,23 @@ def main():
     else:
         input_path = None
     status = runAllTests(jsontest_executable_path, input_path,
-                          use_valgrind=options.valgrind,
-                          with_json_checker=options.with_json_checker,
-                          writerClass='StyledWriter')
+                         use_valgrind=options.valgrind,
+                         with_json_checker=options.with_json_checker,
+                         writerClass='StyledWriter')
     if status:
         sys.exit(status)
     status = runAllTests(jsontest_executable_path, input_path,
-                          use_valgrind=options.valgrind,
-                          with_json_checker=options.with_json_checker,
-                          writerClass='StyledStreamWriter')
-    sys.exit(status)
+                         use_valgrind=options.valgrind,
+                         with_json_checker=options.with_json_checker,
+                         writerClass='StyledStreamWriter')
+    if status:
+        sys.exit(status)
+    status = runAllTests(jsontest_executable_path, input_path,
+                         use_valgrind=options.valgrind,
+                         with_json_checker=options.with_json_checker,
+                         writerClass='BuiltStyledStreamWriter')
+    if status:
+        sys.exit(status)
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     main()