Why doesn't Python have static variables?

Question

There is a questions asking how to simulate static variables in python.

Also, on the web one can find many different solutions to create static variables. (Though I

Answer 1

One alternative to a class is a function attribute:

def foo(arg):
    if not hasattr(foo, 'cache'):
        foo.cache = get_data_dict()
    return foo.cache[arg]

While a class is probably cleaner, this technique can be useful and is nicer, in my opinion, then a global.