This are the basic terms, in which , we need to be strong with out any confusions.
1. class members : members declared in a class. Both data members (variables declared in a class) as well as member functions (methods declared as in a class).
2. class varibale : a data member which is declared with static modifier.
3. Instance variable : a data member in a class with out
static modifier.
The main difference between the class variable and
Instance variable is,
first time, when class is loaded in to memory,
then only memory is allocated for all class variables.
That means, class variables not depends on the Objets
of that classes. what ever number of objects are there, only one copy is
created at the time of class loding.
The main advantage of this class variable is, suppose
if we want to maintain a counter to count the no of object of type that
class, in that case we use variable counter as the static variable.
4. Class method : a method with static modifier.
5. Instance methos : a method with out ststic modifier.
For Both class methos and Instance method , memeory allocted
only once, that is loading the class.
But difference is, we can access the static method, directly
with class name , with out using object of that class.
Where as Instance method can be access through only Objects
or other non ststic method of same class (This concept is called nested
method).
Of course, we have some restrictions with static methods:
1. static method can use only static variables.
2. static method can not access through the non ststic
method and vice versa.
This is the minimum information, we need to know as a basic concept.
Siva
