Static keyword has different meanings when used with different types.
We can use
static keyword with:
Static Variables : Variables in a function, Variables in a class
Static Members of Class : C lass objects and Functions in a class
Static Variables
● Static variables in a Function: When a variable is declared as static, space for it
gets allocated for the lifetime of the program. Even if the function is called
multiple times, space for the static variable is allocated only once and the value of
variable in the previous call gets carried through the next function call.
// C++ program to demonstrate the use of Static variables in a Function
#include <iostream.h>
#include <string.h>
void demo()
{
// static variable
static int count = 0;
cout << count << " ";
// value is updated and will be carried to next function calls
count++;
}
int main()
{
for (int i=0; i<5; i++)
demo();
return 0;
}
Output :
0 1 2 3 4
You can see in the above program that the variable count is declared as static. So, its
value is carried through the function calls. The variable count is not getting initialized for
every time the function is called.
Static variables in a class: As the variables declared as static are initialized only once
as they are allocated space in separate static storage so, the static variables i n a class
are shared by the objects. There can not be multiple copies of same static variables for
different objects. Also because of this reason static variables can not be initialized
using constructors.
// C++ program to demonstrate static variables inside a class
#include<iostream.h>
class GG
{
public:
static int i;
GG()
{
// Do nothing
};
};
int main()
{
GG obj1;
GG obj2;
obj1.i =2;
obj2.i = 3;
cout << obj1.i<<" "<<obj2.i; // prints value of i
}
You can see in the above program that we have tried to create multiple copies of the
static variable i for multiple objects. But this didn’t happen. So, a static variable inside a
class should be initialized explicitly by the user using the class name and scope
resolution operator outside the class as shown below:
// C++ program to demonstrate static variables inside a class
#include<iostream.h>
class CDC
{
public:
static int i;
CDC()
{
// Do nothing
};
};
int CDC::i = 1;
int main()
{
CDC obj;
// prints value of i
cout << obj.i;
}
Output:
1
Static Members of Class
● Class objects as static: Just like variables, objects also when declared as
static have a scope till the lifetime of program.
Consider the below program where the object is non-static.
// CPP program to illustrate when not using static keyword
#include<iostream.h>
class CDC
{
int i;
public:
CDC()
{
i = 0;
cout << "Inside Constructor\n";
}
~CDC()
{
cout << "Inside Destructor\n";
}
};
int main()
{
int x = 0;
if (x==0)
{
CDC obj;
}
cout << "End of main\n";
}
Output:
Inside Constructor
Inside Destructor
End of main
In the above program the object is declared inside the if block as non-static. So, the
scope of variable is inside the if block only. So when the object is created the
constructor is invoked and soon as the control of if block gets over the destructor is
invoked as the scope of object is inside the if block only where it is declared.
Let us now see the change in output if we declare the object as static.
// CPP program to illustrate class objects as static
#include<iostream.h>
class G
{
int i = 0;
public:
G()
{
i = 0;
cout << "Inside Constructor\n";
}
~G()
{
cout << "Inside Destructor\n";
}
};
int main()
{
int x = 0;
if (x==0)
{
static G obj;
}
cout << "End of main\n";
}
Output:
Inside Constructor
End of main
Inside Destructor
● You can clearly see the change in output. Now the destructor is invoked
after the end of main. This happened because the scope of static object is
through out the life time of program.
● Static functions in a class: Just like the static data members or static
variables inside the class, static member functions also does not depend on
object of class. We are allowed to invoke a static member function using
the object and the ‘.’ operator but it is recommended to invoke the static
members using the class name and the scope resolution operator.
Static member functions are allowed to access only the static data
members or other static member functions, they can not access the
non-static data members or member functions of the class.
// C++ program to demonstrate static member function in a class
#include<iostream.h>
class G
{
public:
static void printMsg() // static member function
{
cout<<"Welcome to CDC!";
}
};
int main() // main function
{
G::printMsg(); // invoking a static member function
}
Output:
Welcome to CDC!
Static data members in C++
#include <iostream.h>
class A
{
public:
A() { cout << "A's Constructor Called " << endl; }
};
class B
{
static A a;
public:
B() { cout << "B's Constructor Called " << endl; }
};
int main()
{
B b;
return 0;
}
Output:
B's Constructor Called
The above program calls only B’s constructor, it doesn’t call A’s constructor. The reason
for this is simple, static members are only declared in class declaration, not defined. They
must be explicitly defined outside the class using scope resolution operator.
If we try to access static member ‘a’ without explicit definition of it, we will get
compilation error. For example, following program fails in compilation.
#include <iostream.h>
class A
{
int x;
public:
A()
{ cout << "A's constructor called " << endl; }
};
class B
{
static A a;
public:
B()
{ cout << "B's constructor called " << endl; }
static A getA()
{ return a; }
};
int main()
{
B b;
A a = [Link]();
return 0;
}
Output:
Compiler Error: undefined reference to `B::a'
If we add definition of a, the program will works fine and will call A’s constructor.
#include <iostream.h>
class A
{
int x;
public:
A() { cout << "A's constructor called " << endl; }
};
class B
{
static A a;
public:
B() { cout << "B's constructor called " << endl; }
static A getA() { return a; }
};
A B::a; // definition of a
int main()
{
B b1, b2, b3;
A a = [Link]();
return 0;
}
Output:
A's constructor called
B's constructor called
B's constructor called
B's constructor called
Note that the above program calls B’s constructor 3 times for 3 objects (b1, b2 and b3),
but calls A’s constructor only once. The reason is, static members are shared among all
objects. That is why they are also known as class members or class fields. Also, static
members can be accessed without any object.
#include <iostream.h>
class A
{
int x;
public:
A() { cout << "A's constructor called " << endl; }
};
class B
{
static A a;
public:
B() { cout << "B's constructor called " << endl; }
static A getA() { return a; }
};
A B::a; // definition of a
int main()
{
// static member 'a' is accessed without any object of B
A a = B::getA();
return 0;
}
Output:
A's constructor called
Some interesting facts about static member functions in
C++
1) static member functions do not have this pointer.
For example following program fails in compilation with error “`this’ is unavailable for
static member functions “
#include<iostream.h>
class Test {
static Test * fun() {
return this; // compiler error
}
};
int main()
{
getchar();
return 0;
}
2) A static member function cannot be virtual
3) Member function declarations with the same name and the name parameter-type-list
cannot be overloaded if any of them is a static member function declaration.
For example, following program fails in compilation with error “‘void Test::fun()’ and
`static void Test::fun()’ cannot be overloaded ”
#include<iostream.h>
class Test {
static void fun() {}
void fun() {} // compiler error
};
int main()
{
getchar();
return 0;
}
4) A static member function can not be declared const, v olatile, or c
onst volatile.
For example, following program fails in compilation with error “static member function
`static void Test::fun()’ cannot have `const’ method qualifier ”
#include<iostream.h>
class Test {
static void fun() const { // compiler error
return;
}
};
int main()
{
getchar();
return 0;
}