There are few techniques to execute slow code that returns some data in Android. By slow code I mean network, file, database access etc. Thread and Runnable can be used, but I found that getting produced data from a Runnable is hard/not productive. We can use Service with Broadcast , but I found that this is also not productive technique. We have nice AsyncTask class in Android. Is this last approach most productive way to execute slow background operations that return some data, or there is something better in Android?

Is the AsyncTask most productive technique for slow background tasks?

There are few techniques to execute slow code that returns some data in Android. By slow code I mean network, file, database access etc.

Thread and Runnable can be used, but I found that getting produced data from a Runnable is hard/not productive.
We can use Service with Broadcast, but I found that this is also not productive technique.
We have nice AsyncTask class in Android.

Is this last approach most productive way to execute slow background operations that return some data, or there is something better in Android?