What are class methods and static methods in Python?

Can you explain the difference between class methods and static methods in Python?

Sure! Class methods are methods that are bound to the class and not the instance of the class. They take 'cls' as the first parameter. Static methods, on the other hand, do not take any special first parameter and behave like regular functions that belong to the class's namespace.

Can you give me an example of each?

Of course! Here's a simple example:

class MyClass:
    @classmethod
    def class_method(cls):
        return 'This is a class method.'

    @staticmethod
    def static_method():
        return 'This is a static method.'

In this example, class_method can access class properties, while static_method cannot.

When should I use class methods over static methods?

Use class methods when you need to access or modify class state, and static methods when you don't need to access class or instance data.