Difference between staticmethod and classmethod

Question

What is the difference between a function decorated with @staticmethod and one decorated with @classmethod?

Answer 1

I will try to explain the basic difference using an example.

class A(object):
    x = 0

    def say_hi(self):
        pass

    @staticmethod
    def say_hi_static():
        pass

    @classmethod
    def say_hi_class(cls):
        pass

    def run_self(self):
        self.x += 1
        print self.x # outputs 1
        self.say_hi()
        self.say_hi_static()
        self.say_hi_class()

    @staticmethod
    def run_static():
        print A.x  # outputs 0
        # A.say_hi() #  wrong
        A.say_hi_static()
        A.say_hi_class()

    @classmethod
    def run_class(cls):
        print cls.x # outputs 0
        # cls.say_hi() #  wrong
        cls.say_hi_static()
        cls.say_hi_class()

1 - we can directly call static and classmethods without initializing

# A.run_self() #  wrong
A.run_static()
A.run_class()

2- Static method cannot call self method but can call other static and classmethod

3- Static method belong to class and will not use object at all.

4- Class method are not bound to an object but to a class.