Why use static methods in program.cs C#?

Question

I always knew that I have to use static methods but I wonder why? As you can see below I have to make "MigrateDatabase" Static

using System;

namespace OdeToFood
{
    public class Program
    {
        public static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            MigrateDatabase();
        }

        private static void MigrateDatabase()
        {
          //.....
        }


    }
}

In this case it's because you can't call non static functions from static functions in this specific case. — IndieGameDev, Dec 09 '20 at 15:11
You have to make it static _for this code_ but you don't have to make it static if you write the code differently. — Jamiec, Dec 09 '20 at 15:12
`new Program().MigrateDatabase()` is my go to in such cases, since typing `static` every time is a pain. — Jeroen Mostert, Dec 09 '20 at 15:12
@MathewHD: not really true: you can call non-static functions from static functions, if you have a reference to the object containing the method. — Bestter, Dec 09 '20 at 15:13
Also: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/33705976/when-should-i-use-static-methods/33706003 — , Dec 09 '20 at 15:14
@MathewHD That's just not true. You can absolutely call instance methods from static methods. You just need to provide an instance when calling them method. It's *super* common to call instance methods from static methods. In fact I'd guess a large majority of static methods call an instance method. — Servy, Dec 09 '20 at 15:16
I make all functions static that I want to call across my froms to make them independent from any instance variables. — TaW, Dec 09 '20 at 16:18
I guess the duplicate is fne here, but it should be noted that it is not for c# but java. — TaW, Dec 09 '20 at 16:19

Jamiec · Answer 1 · 2020-12-09T15:32:29.100

Let's just be clear, the only reason MigrateDatabase has to be static in this case is because you're calling it from a static method (Main). If instead MigrateDatabase was an instance method on a class, you could instantiate that class and call it

using System;

namespace OdeToFood
{
    public class Program
    {
        public static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            var migration = new Migration();
            migration.MigrateDatabase();
        }   
    }

    public class Migration
    {
        private void MigrateDatabase()
        {
          //.....
        }
    }
}

You could also put it as a instance method on Program if you're instantiating an instance of that class

using System;

namespace OdeToFood
{
    public class Program
    {
        public static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            var program = new Program();
            program.MigrateDatabase();
        }

        private void MigrateDatabase()
        {
          //.....
        }


    }
}

People: I'm happy for my answers to be edited with corrections, but please don't wholesale change it! — Jamiec, Dec 09 '20 at 15:33

Why use static methods in program.cs C#?

1 Answers1