What are static variables and how do they work in different programming languages?

Can you explain what static variables are in programming?

Static variables are variables that retain their value even after the function or block in which they are defined has finished executing.

How do static variables work in C?

In C, a static variable is declared using the 'static' keyword. It maintains its value between function calls and is initialized only once.

What about in Java?

In Java, static variables are associated with the class rather than instances. They are declared with the 'static' keyword and shared among all instances.

Can you give an example in Python?

Python doesn't have static variables in the same way, but you can use class variables to achieve similar behavior.