Difference between staticmethod and classmethod

Question

What is the difference between a function decorated with @staticmethod and one decorated with @classmethod?

Answer 1

My contribution demonstrates the difference amongst @classmethod, @staticmethod, and instance methods, including how an instance can indirectly call a @staticmethod. But instead of indirectly calling a @staticmethod from an instance, making it private may be more "pythonic." Getting something from a private method isn't demonstrated here but it's basically the same concept.

#!python3

from os import system
system('cls')
# %   %   %   %   %   %   %   %   %   %   %   %   %   %   %   %   %   %   %   %

class DemoClass(object):
    # instance methods need a class instance and
    # can access the instance through 'self'
    def instance_method_1(self):
        return 'called from inside the instance_method_1()'

    def instance_method_2(self):
        # an instance outside the class indirectly calls the static_method
        return self.static_method() + ' via instance_method_2()'

    # class methods don't need a class instance, they can't access the
    # instance (self) but they have access to the class itself via 'cls'
    @classmethod
    def class_method(cls):
        return 'called from inside the class_method()'

    # static methods don't have access to 'cls' or 'self', they work like
    # regular functions but belong to the class' namespace
    @staticmethod
    def static_method():
        return 'called from inside the static_method()'
# %   %   %   %   %   %   %   %   %   %   %   %   %   %   %   %   %   %   %   %

# works even if the class hasn't been instantiated
print(DemoClass.class_method() + '\n')
''' called from inside the class_method() '''

# works even if the class hasn't been instantiated
print(DemoClass.static_method() + '\n')
''' called from inside the static_method() '''
# %   %   %   %   %   %   %   %   %   %   %   %   %   %   %   %   %   %   %   %

# >>>>> all methods types can be called on a class instance <<<<<
# instantiate the class
democlassObj = DemoClass()

# call instance_method_1()
print(democlassObj.instance_method_1() + '\n')
''' called from inside the instance_method_1() '''

# # indirectly call static_method through instance_method_2(), there's really no use
# for this since a @staticmethod can be called whether the class has been
# instantiated or not
print(democlassObj.instance_method_2() + '\n')
''' called from inside the static_method() via instance_method_2() '''

# call class_method()
print(democlassObj.class_method() + '\n')
'''  called from inside the class_method() '''

# call static_method()
print(democlassObj.static_method())
''' called from inside the static_method() '''

"""
# whether the class is instantiated or not, this doesn't work
print(DemoClass.instance_method_1() + '\n')
'''
TypeError: TypeError: unbound method instancemethod() must be called with
DemoClass instance as first argument (got nothing instead)
'''
"""