When talking about preferred wood screws the discussion can get in the weeds pretty quickly as there are many many types of screws out there and they each have their followers/users. And of course much will depend on what application you are using as to what type screw may work the best for you.
You can go online and search for sites that can explain all the special ins and outs....i.e.,
www.mcfeeleys.com use to have pretty good guidance to help in selecting the right screw for your needs.
I have found that using #6 and #8 square drive, steel/zinc screws in 1 1/4" - 2" lengths works best for most applications for me....furniture/plywood subassemblies, etc.. Go for a coarser thread for plywood, particleboard, and other "soft" woods. Use finer threads for hard woods. Check the specs on thread depths on the box or web page. Screw lengths will vary based on the thickness of your wood.
I have also determined, in my personal case, that drilling pilot holes is wise, particularly in hard woods and/or near the ends of boards. Trust me on this.
Curiously the local big box stores here in Moore County do not carry much of a variety of box quantities of these screws. You may find them on occasion but I buy in bulk quantities (100 - 500 ct) on line as they go on sale. As referenced above McFeeley's is one online source. Great selection/sometimes pricey. A couple of other sources are:
www.fastenersuperstore.com
www.valuefastener.com
www.mscdirect.com
Be forewarned, some of these sites require you to dig deep to find just what you may be looking for but keep working it and you should be able to find what you want.
Hope some of this helps.