Python Class Method vs. Static Method vs. Instance Method
In this tutorial, you’ll understand the difference between class method vs. static method vs. instance method step by step.
In Object-oriented programming, when we design a class, we use the following three methods
- Instance method performs a set of actions on the data/value provided by the instance variables. If we use instance variables inside a method, such methods are called instance methods.
- Class method is method that is called on the class itself, not on a specific object instance. Therefore, it belongs to a class level, and all class instances share a class method.
- Static method is a general utility method that performs a task in isolation. This method doesn’t have access to the instance and class variable.
Table of contents
Difference #1: Primary Use
- Class metho d Used to access or modify the class state . It can modify the class state by changing the value of a class variable that would apply across all the class objects.
- The instance method acts on an object’s attributes. It can modify the object state by changing the value of instance variables.
- Static methods have limited use because they don’t have access to the attributes of an object (instance variables) and class attributes (class variables). However, they can be helpful in utility such as conversion form one type to another.
Class methods are used as a factory method. Factory methods are those methods that return a class object for different use cases. For example, you need to do some pre-processing on the provided data before creating an object.
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Difference #2: Method Defination
Let’s learn how to define instance method, class method, and static method in a class. All three methods are defined in different ways.
- All three methods are defined inside a class, and it is pretty similar to defining a regular function.
- Any method we create in a class will automatically be created as an instance method. We must explicitly tell Python that it is a class method or static method.
- Use the @classmethod decorator or the classmethod() function to define the class method
- Use the @staticmethod decorator or the staticmethod() function to define a static method.
- Use self as the first parameter in the instance method when defining it. The self parameter refers to the current object.
- On the other hand, Use cls as the first parameter in the class method when defining it. The cls refers to the class.
- A static method doesn’t take instance or class as a parameter because they don’t have access to the instance variables and class variables.
class Student: # class variables school_name = 'ABC School' # constructor def __init__(self, name, age): # instance variables self.name = name self.age = age # instance variables def show(self): print(self.name, self.age, Student.school_name) @classmethod def change_School(cls, name): cls.school_name = name @staticmethod def find_notes(subject_name): return ['chapter 1', 'chapter 2', 'chapter 3']As you can see in the example, in the instance
Difference #3: Method Call
- Class methods and static methods can be called using ClassName or by using a class object.
- The Instance method can be called only using the object of the class.
# create object jessa = Student('Jessa', 12) # call instance method jessa.show() # call class method using the class Student.change_School('XYZ School') # call class method using the object jessa.change_School('PQR School') # call static method using the class Student.find_notes('Math') # call class method using the object jessa.find_notes('Math')Jessa 12 ABC School School name changed to XYZ School School name changed to PQR School
Difference #4: Attribute Access
Both class and object have attributes. Class attributes include class variables, and object attributes include instance variables.
- The instance method can access both class level and object attributes. Therefore, It can modify the object state.
- Class methods can only access class level attributes. Therefore, It can modify the class state.
- A static method doesn’t have access to the class attribute and instance attributes. Therefore, it cannot modify the class or object state.
class Student: # class variables school_name = 'ABC School' def __init__(self, name, age): self.name = name self.age = age # instance method def show(self): # access instance variables print('Student:', self.name, self.age) # access class variables print('School:', self.school_name) @classmethod def change_School(cls, name): # access class variable print('Previous School name:', cls.school_name) cls.school_name = name print('School name changed to', Student.school_name) @staticmethod def find_notes(subject_name): # can't access instance or class attributes return ['chapter 1', 'chapter 2', 'chapter 3'] # create object jessa = Student('Jessa', 12) # call instance method jessa.show() # call class method Student.change_School('XYZ School')Student: Jessa 12
School: ABC School
Previous School name: ABC School
School name changed to XYZ School
Difference #5: Class Bound and Instance Bound
- An instance method is bound to the object, so we can access them using the object of the class.
- Class methods and static methods are bound to the class. So we should access them using the class name .
class Student: def __init__(self, roll_no): self.roll_no = roll_no # instance method def show(self): print('In Instance method') @classmethod def change_school(cls, name): print('In class method') @staticmethod def find_notes(subject_name): print('In Static method') # create two objects jessa = Student(12) # instance method bound to object print(jessa.show) # class method bound to class print(jessa.change_school) # static method bound to class print(jessa.find_notes) Do you know:
In Python, a separate copy of the instance methods will be created for every object.
Suppose you create five Student objects, then Python has to create five copies of the show() method (separate for each object). So it will consume more memory. On the other hand, the static method has only one copy per class.
# create two objects jessa = Student(12) kelly = Student(25) # False because two separate copies print(jessa.show is kelly.show) # True objects share same copies of static methods print(jessa.find_notes is kelly.find_notes)Jessa 20 ABC School Jessa 20 XYZ School >
As you can see in the output, the change_School() method is bound to the class.
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About Vishal
I’m Vishal Hule, Founder of PYnative.com. I am a Python developer, and I love to write articles to help students, developers, and learners. Follow me on Twitter
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