Day 25: Python OOP - Class & Static Methods

Understanding Class Methods and Static Methods in Python

In Python, class methods and static methods are decorators that allow you to define methods that operate at the class or object level, rather than at the instance level.

A class method is a method that operates on the class itself and is not bound to any specific instance. It is defined using the @classmethod decorator and takes the cls parameter, which refers to the class itself.

On the other hand, a static method is a method that is not bound to either the instance or the class. It does not have access to any class or instance attributes. It is defined using the @staticmethod decorator and does not take any special parameters.

Defining a Class Method in Python

To define a class method, use the @classmethod decorator and provide the method with the cls parameter. This parameter refers to the class itself and allows the method to modify class-specific details.

class Dog:
    def __init__(self, name, breed):
        self.name = name 
        self.breed = breed 

    @classmethod 
    def create_dog(cls, name, breed):
        return cls(name, breed) 

In the above example, create_dog is a class method that creates a new instance of the Dog class.

Defining a Static Method in Python

To define a static method, use the @staticmethod decorator. Unlike class methods and regular methods, static methods do not take a self or cls parameter. This means they cannot modify the instance or the class, making them independent.

class Dog:
    def __init__(self, name, breed):
        self.name = name 
        self.breed = breed 

    @staticmethod 
    def bark():
        print("Woof!") 

In this example, bark is a static method that prints "Woof!" to the console. It does not interact with any class or instance attributes.

dog = Dog.create_dog("Buddy", "Poodle")
print(dog.name)  # Output: "Buddy"
print(dog.breed)  # Output: "Poodle"

Dog.bark()  # Output: "Woof!"

In the final example, we create a new Dog instance using the class method create_dog and call the static method bark on the Dog class.

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