This PCAP practice question tests your understanding of object-oriented programming. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A programmer writes a class with a method that should be called on the class itself, not on instances. Which decorator is appropriate?
@property
Why wrong: Property is for computed instance attributes, not class-level methods.
@classmethod
Classmethods receive the class as first argument and can be called on the class.
@abstractmethod
Why wrong: Abstract methods are for method signatures that must be implemented in subclasses.
@staticmethod
Why wrong: Static methods do not receive the class as first parameter.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
@classmethod
The @classmethod decorator transforms a method so that it receives the class itself as the first implicit argument (cls), rather than an instance (self). This allows the method to be called on the class directly, e.g., MyClass.my_method(), and is the correct choice when a method should operate on the class level, not on instances.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
@property
Why it's wrong here
Property is for computed instance attributes, not class-level methods.
@classmethod
Why this is correct
Classmethods receive the class as first argument and can be called on the class.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
@abstractmethod
Why it's wrong here
Abstract methods are for method signatures that must be implemented in subclasses.
@staticmethod
Why it's wrong here
Static methods do not receive the class as first parameter.
Common exam traps
Python Institute often tests the distinction between @classmethod and @staticmethod, trapping candidates who think both are interchangeable for class-level calls, but @staticmethod does not receive the class argument and cannot modify class state.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, @classmethod uses the descriptor protocol: when accessed on an instance, Python binds the method to the class (type(instance)) rather than the instance itself. This means the cls parameter always refers to the class of the object, even when called from a subclass, enabling polymorphic class-level behavior. A common real-world scenario is a factory method that creates instances of the class, where @classmethod allows the method to be inherited and return instances of the subclass.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
What to study next
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FAQ
Object-Oriented Programming — This question tests Object-Oriented Programming — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: @classmethod — The @classmethod decorator transforms a method so that it receives the class itself as the first implicit argument (cls), rather than an instance (self). This allows the method to be called on the class directly, e.g., MyClass.my_method(), and is the correct choice when a method should operate on the class level, not on instances.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
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