Depends on your living space......do you have room for hydro or do you have a private area in your yard to grow outdoors. The question you are asking is not as "cut and dry" as you may think! Your a creature of your enviroment and if you really want to grow you do so in any manner nessecary "period". You got a farm you use soil, you live in a big city you use a closet, you live in the burbs you use a room or a basement or even a garage. Now if I had the choice of any of the above I would choose "BUYIN IT" cause I obviously have to much f'in money!!!!!!!
Other things to thing about, budget, ventalation if indoors, seeds or clones, nutes etc etc etc. You need to decide where you "can" grow which will eliminate the majority of your problems then all you have to do is google the rest. As for what is best there is a very simple answer......"what you soe you reap". In other words put in the time and learn the art of growing through trial and error and a little help here! Now think about this for one second........if there were a huge difference between hydro and soil would not everyone be doing the same thing?
For me I use hydro simply put because of my living arrangement. I spent the money purchased a producer (feel free to google that) and it has paid for it's self twice over.