Difference between Static methods and Instance methods

Question

I was just reading over the text given to me in my textbook and I'm not really sure I understand what it is saying. It's basically telling me that static methods or class methods include the "modifier" keyword static. But I don't really know what that means?

Could someone please explain to me in really simple terms what Static or Class Methods are?

Also, could I get a simple explanation on what Instance methods are?

This is what they give me in the textbook:

There are important practical implications of the presence or absence of the static modifier. A public class method may be invoked and executed as soon as Java processes the definition of the class to which it belongs. That is not the case for an instance method. Before a public instance method may be invoked and executed, an instance must be created of the class to which it belongs. To use a public class method, you just need the class. On the other hand, before you can use a public instance method you must have an instance of the class.

The manner in which a static method is invoked within the definition of another method varies according to whether or not the two methods belong to the same class. In the example above, factorial and main are both methods of the MainClass class. As a result, the invocation of factorial in the definition of main simply references the method name, "factorial".

Solution 1

The basic paradigm in Java is that you write classes, and that those classes are instantiated. Instantiated objects (an instance of a class) have attributes associated with them (member variables) that affect their behavior; when the instance has its method executed it will refer to these variables.

However, all objects of a particular type might have behavior that is not dependent at all on member variables; these methods are best made static. By being static, no instance of the class is required to run the method.

You can do this to execute a static method:

MyClass.staticMethod();  // Simply refers to the class's static code

But to execute a non-static method, you must do this:

MyClass obj = new MyClass();  //Create an instance
obj.nonstaticMethod();  // Refer to the instance's class's code

On a deeper level the compiler, when it puts a class together, collects pointers to methods and attaches them to the class. When those methods are executed it follows the pointers and executes the code at the far end. If a class is instantiated, the created object contains a pointer to the "virtual method table", which points to the methods to be called for that particular class in the inheritance hierarchy. However, if the method is static, no "virtual method table" is needed: all calls to that method go to the exact same place in memory to execute the exact same code. For that reason, in high-performance systems it's better to use a static method if you are not reliant on instance variables.

Solution 2

Methods and variables that are not declared as static are known as instance methods and instance variables. To refer to instance methods and variables, you must instantiate the class first means you should create an object of that class first.For static you don't need to instantiate the class u can access the methods and variables with the class name using period sign which is in (.)

for example:

Person.staticMethod();           //accessing static method.

for non-static method you must instantiate the class.

Person person1 = new Person();   //instantiating
person1.nonStaticMethod();       //accessing non-static method.

Solution 3

Difference between Static methods and Instance methods

1. Instance method are methods which require an object of its class to be created before it can be called. Static methods are the methods in Java that can be called without creating an object of class.

2. Static method is declared with static keyword. Instance method is not with static keyword.

3. Static method means which will exist as a single copy for a class. But instance methods exist as multiple copies depending on the number of instances created for that class.

4. Static methods can be invoked by using class reference. Instance or non static methods are invoked by using object reference.

5. Static methods can’t access instance methods and instance variables directly. Instance method can access static variables and static methods directly.

Reference : geeksforgeeks

Solution 4

Static methods, variables belongs to the whole class, not just an object instance. A static method, variable is associated with the class as a whole rather than with specific instances of a class. Each object will share a common copy of the static methods, variables. There is only one copy per class, no matter how many objects are created from it.

Solution 5

Instance methods => invoked on specific instance of a specific class. Method wants to know upon which class it was invoked. The way it happens there is a invisible parameter called 'this'. Inside of 'this' we have members of instance class already set with values. 'This' is not a variable. It's a value, you cannot change it and the value is reference to the receiver of the call. Ex: You call repairmen(instance method) to fix your TV(actual program). He comes with tools('this' parameter). He comes with specific tools needed for fixing TV and he can fix other things also.

In static methods => there is no such thing as 'this'. Ex: The same repairman (static method). When you call him you have to specify which repairman to call(like electrician). And he will come and fix your TV only. But, he doesn't have tools to fix other things (there is no 'this' parameter).

Static methods are usually useful for operations that don't require any data from an instance of the class (from 'this') and can perform their intended purpose solely using their arguments.

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