Object Oriented Programming Questions
The main difference between a static method and an instance method in Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) is how they are accessed and used.
1. Static Method:
- A static method belongs to the class itself, rather than an instance of the class.
- It can be accessed directly using the class name, without creating an object/instance of the class.
- Static methods are commonly used for utility functions or operations that do not require any specific instance data.
- They cannot access or modify instance variables or methods directly.
- Static methods are shared among all instances of the class.
2. Instance Method:
- An instance method belongs to a specific instance/object of a class.
- It can only be accessed through an object/instance of the class.
- Instance methods can access and modify instance variables and other instance methods directly.
- They are used to perform actions or operations specific to an individual object/instance.
- Each instance of a class has its own copy of instance variables and can have different values.
In summary, static methods are associated with the class itself and can be accessed without creating an instance, while instance methods are associated with specific instances/objects of the class and can access instance variables and methods.