'staticmethod' object is not callable

Question

I have this code:

class A(object):
    @staticmethod
    def open():
        return 123

    @staticmethod
    def proccess():
        return 456

    switch = {
        1: open,
        2: proccess,
    }


obj = A.switch[1]()

When I run this I keep getting the error:

TypeError: 'staticmethod' object is not callable

how to resolve it?

Answer 1

You are storing unbound staticmethod objects in a dictionary. Such objects (as well as classmethod objects, functions and property objects) are only bound through the descriptor protocol, by accessing the name as an attribute on the class or an instance. Directly accessing the staticmethod objects in the class body is not an attribute access.

Either create the dictionary after creating the class (so you access them as attributes), or bind explicitly, or extract the original function before storing them in the dictionary.

Note that 'binding' for staticmethod objects merely means that the context is merely ignored; a bound staticmethod returns the underlying function unchanged.

So your options are to unindent the dictionary and trigger the descriptor protocol by using attributes:

class A(object):
    @staticmethod
    def open():
        return 123
    @staticmethod
    def proccess():
        return 456

A.switch = {
    1: A.open,
    2: A.proccess,   
}

or to bind explicitly, passing in a dummy context (which will be ignored anyway):

class A(object):
    @staticmethod
    def open():
        return 123
    @staticmethod
    def proccess():
        return 456

    switch = {
        1: open.__get__(object),
        2: proccess.__get__(object),   
    }

or access the underlying function directly with the __func__ attribute:

class A(object):
    @staticmethod
    def open():
        return 123
    @staticmethod
    def proccess():
        return 456

    switch = {
        1: open.__func__,
        2: proccess.__func__,   
    }

However, if all you are trying to do is provide a namespace for a bunch of functions, then you should not use a class object in the first place. Put the functions in a module. That way you don't have to use staticmethod decorators in the first place and don't have to unwrap them again.

Answer 2

In addition to Pieters' answer, you can just drop @staticmethod:

class A(object):
    def open():
        return 123

    def proccess():
        return 456

    switch = {
        1: open,
        2: proccess,   
        }

obj = A.switch[1]()

However, in this way it becomes impossible to call open and process with self.

• Outside the class they can be called either with A.open() and A.process(), just like common static methods.
• Inside the class they can be called with just open() and process(), without A.. However,
  • A.open will fail. (I tested this case only with the decorator use. (@open))
  • What's more, they must be placed before the function calling them.

Answer 3

Note that starting with Python 3.10 the workarounds given in the accepted answer are no longer needed (but still work):

Moreover, static methods are now callable as regular functions. (Contributed by Victor Stinner in bpo-43682.)

For more details see: https://docs.python.org/3/whatsnew/3.10.html

Python 3.10.2
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> class A():
...     @staticmethod
...     def open():
...         return 123
...     @staticmethod
...     def process():
...         return 456
...     switch = {
...         1: open,
...         2: process
...     }
...
>>> A.switch[1]()
123

Answer 4

For Unit Tests

Thanks to and based on Martijn answer, both __func__ and __get__(TestCase) options work well when using static methods on tests, example:

from unittest import TestCase, mock
from unittest.mock import MagicMock, Mock
class TestMother(TestCase):

    @staticmethod
    def side_effect_me(param: str) -> str:
        return param.capitalize()
    
    @mock.patch("src.some_folder.MyModule.my_func", \
        new=MagicMock(side_effect=side_effect_me.__func__))
    def test_should_cap(self):
        # test stuff

Answer 5

class A(object):
    def open():
        return 123

    def proccess():
        return 456

    switch = {
        1: lambda : A.open(),
        2: lambda : A.proccess(),   
        }