Static Methods In Python | Python Tutorials For Absolute Beginners In Hindi #58

As we have discussed in Tutorial#56, there are two types of methods i.e., static and class. In that tutorial, our primary focus was on class methods. From this tutorial, you will get to learn about the Static method. It is one of the important concepts to use while you are learning OOPs programming with Python. A static method is very much easy to understand if we are familiar with class methods. It is also easier to implement than a class method because it can be accessed without any object. However, we can also access it using a class or any instance.

Figure 1: class method in Python

Static Method in Python:

We know that a static method in Python is treated differently than in other languages. Static methods in Python are extremely similar to python class methods, but the difference is that a static method is bound to a class rather than the objects for that class.
To define a static method, we use @staticmethod decorator, which is a built-in decorator. Also, there is no need to import any module to use decorators. Using a static method in a class, we permit it to be accessed only by the class objects or inside the class.

There are few limitations related to static methods, such as:

• Unlike, class method a static method cannot alter or change any variable value or state of the class.
• Static methods do not have any knowledge related to class

Static methods do not require any knowledge related to the class that they are built-in. They are only formed in a class so that only the class instances can access them. We can use a static method for simple functionality that is mostly not related to the class. For example, we want to add two numbers together, but we do not want our method to be used elsewhere, other than the class, or through its instances, so we will create a static method. It will not require any information related to class as it only requires the numbers it has to add, but it will still fulfill its purpose as it is like a personal method that only the class has access to.
Most of the functionalities of the static methods can be performed using a class method. However, we prefer the static method, at places where it could work to make our program more efficient and faster as we do not have to pass self as a parameter, so the efficiency of the program increases.
In Python static methods can be created using @staticmethod.   

class Student:
@staticmethod
    def myfunc():
        //Code to be executed

Alternatively, we can follow the below syntax as well:

staticmethod(class_name.method())

Using @staticmethod annotation is actually a better way to create a static method in Python as the intention of keeping the method static is clear.

Advantages of Python static method

Static methods have a very clear use-case. When we need some functionality not for an Object but with the complete class, we make a method static. This is advantageous when we need to create utility methods.
Finally, note that in a static method, we do not need the self or cls to be passed as the first argument.

Code as described/written in the video

class Employee:
    no_of_leaves = 8

    def __init__(self, aname, asalary, arole):
        self.name = aname
        self.salary = asalary
        self.role = arole

    def printdetails(self):
        return f"The Name is {self.name}. Salary is {self.salary} and role is {self.role}"

    @classmethod
    def change_leaves(cls, newleaves):
        cls.no_of_leaves = newleaves

    @classmethod
    def from_dash(cls, string):
        return cls(*string.split("-"))

    @staticmethod
    def printgood(string):
        print("This is good " + string)

harry = Employee("Harry", 255, "Instructor")
rohan = Employee("Rohan", 455, "Student")
karan = Employee.from_dash("Karan-480-Student")

Employee.printgood("Rohan")