Python : Difference between static methods vs class method [duplicate]

Question

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Closed 13 years ago.

Possible Duplicate:
What is the difference between @staticmethod and @classmethod in Python?

• I am learning OOP in python and came to know about these two methods
• It seems that the difference in terms of syntax is that class methods are implicitly passed the class they belong to as their first parameter

class Circle:
 all_circles = [] # class variable
 @staticmethod
 def total_area():
 for c in Circle.all_circles: # hardcode class name
 # do somethig
 @classmethod
 def total_area(cls):
 for c in cls.all_circles: # no hardcode class name
 # do something

I see class method as more flexible since we don't hardcode the class

Question:
- Is it even a question which one is better? @staticmethod or @classmethod?
- what are the scenarios suitable to use of each one of these methods?

• Sid: dup stackoverflow.com/questions/136097/…
• alexis: The question I'd ask is not which one is better, but which one is appropriate-- for the particular situation you are in.

Answer 1

A classmethod gets passed the class 'cls' that it was called upon. For more details see: What is the difference between @staticmethod and @classmethod in Python?