How to Create Static Methods in a Python Class

Shows how to define and call static methods inside a class using @staticmethod, with utility functions that don't need instance or class state.

Easy Python 3.9+ Aug 9, 2026 OOP & classes 14 views 0 copies

static-method oop class utility decorator

Python code

25 lines

Python 3.9+

class MathUtils:
    """Utility class demonstrating static methods."""
    
    @staticmethod
    def add(a, b):
        """Return the sum of two numbers."""
        return a + b
    
    @staticmethod
    def multiply(a, b):
        """Return the product of two numbers."""
        return a * b
    
    @staticmethod
    def is_even(number):
        """Return True if number is even, False otherwise."""
        return number % 2 == 0


if __name__ == "__main__":
    # Calling static methods via the class namespace
    print("Sum:", MathUtils.add(5, 3))
    print("Product:", MathUtils.multiply(5, 3))
    print("Is 4 even?", MathUtils.is_even(4))
    print("Is 7 even?", MathUtils.is_even(7))

Output

stdout

Sum: 8
Product: 15
Is 4 even? True
Is 7 even? False

How it works

Static methods are decorated with @staticmethod and do not receive self or cls as the first argument. They behave like regular functions but live in the class namespace, which groups related utilities. Because they don't depend on instance state, you can call them directly on the class without creating an object. This makes them ideal for helper functions that logically belong to a class but don't need access to its attributes.

Common mistakes

Forgetting the `@staticmethod` decorator, causing `self` to be passed as the first argument
Creating an instance when not needed — static methods can be called on the class directly
Expecting access to instance attributes inside a static method

Variations

Use `@classmethod` when you need access to class-level state via `cls`
Define the helper function outside the class for simpler use cases, then import it

Real-world use cases

Utility math operations (like rounding or unit conversion) grouped under a namespace class.
Validation helpers, e.g., checking email format, used across your codebase without instantiating objects.
Factory-like utilities that create or transform objects but don't require instance state.

How to Create Static Methods in a Python Class

Python code

Output

How it works

Common mistakes

Variations

Real-world use cases

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Python code

Output

How it works

Common mistakes

Variations

Real-world use cases

More from OOP & classes

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Tutorials

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