---
title: "What is the difference between static and instance methods?"  
description: "What is the difference between static and instance methods?"  
author: "Sumit Kesarwani"  
published: 2014-01-28  
updated: 2020-09-23  
canonical: https://www.mindstick.com/interview/1901/what-is-the-difference-between-static-and-instance-methods  
category: "c#"  
tags: ["c#"]  
reading_time: 1 minute  

---

# What is the difference between static and instance methods?

A method declared with a static modifier is a static method. A static method does not operate on a specific instance and can only access static members.

A method declared without a static modifier is an instance method. An instance method operates on a specific instance and can access both static and instance members. The instance on which an instance method was invoked can be explicitly accessed as this. It is an error to refer to this in a static method.

## Answers

### Answer by Sumit Kesarwani

A method declared with a static modifier is a static method. A static method does not operate on a specific instance and can only access static members.

A method declared without a static modifier is an instance method. An instance method operates on a specific instance and can access both static and instance members. The instance on which an instance method was invoked can be explicitly accessed as this. It is an error to refer to this in a static method.


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Original Source: https://www.mindstick.com/interview/1901/what-is-the-difference-between-static-and-instance-methods

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