What is the difference between class and instance methods?

Question

What\'s the difference between a class method and an instance method?

Are instance methods the accessors (getters and setters) while class methods are pretty much ev

Answer 1

The answer to your question is not specific to objective-c, however in different languages, Class methods may be called static methods.

The difference between class methods and instance methods are

Class methods

• Operate on Class variables (they can not access instance variables)
• Do not require an object to be instantiated to be applied
• Sometimes can be a code smell (some people who are new to OOP use as a crutch to do Structured Programming in an OO enviroment)

Instance methods

• Operate on instances variables and class variables
• Must have an instanciated object to operate on