What is the Python equivalent of static variables inside a function?

Question

What is the idiomatic Python equivalent of this C/C++ code?

void foo()
{
    static int counter = 0;
    counter++;
          


        

Answer 1

A global declaration provides this functionality. In the example below (python 3.5 or greater to use the "f"), the counter variable is defined outside of the function. Defining it as global in the function signifies that the "global" version outside of the function should be made available to the function. So each time the function runs, it modifies the value outside the function, preserving it beyond the function.

counter = 0

def foo():
    global counter
    counter += 1
    print("counter is {}".format(counter))

foo() #output: "counter is 1"
foo() #output: "counter is 2"
foo() #output: "counter is 3"