How to Define Static Methods in Python

• Let’s create a _generate_serial() function that will generate a new serial number in a small class generating IDs for shipping containers.
• The name static method is an anachronism in Python — it refers to the traditional keyword used to indicate the equivalent in old languages (C,C++,C#, Java, etc.)
• In other words, how can we associate the method with the class (making it “static”) as opposed to associating it with the instance of the class?

1. use @staticmethod decorator
2. do not sign the static method with self
3. use the class prefix for accessing Class attributes as in

result = ShippingContainer.next_serial

4. use the class prefix for calling static methods as in

self.serial = ShippingContainer._generate_serial()

• Static methods, however, are not used only across the whole class
• In python, they have no direct knowledge even about the class itself even when they are defined within one
• Static methods simply allow us to group a function within the class block when the function is conceptually related to the class
• Therefore, you could just locate _generate_serial() outside of all clases in a global scope and call it from within the class without @staticmethod decorator
• This would be synonymous