Why keyword 'this' cannot be used in a static method?

c# this static-members
airbai picture airbai · Aug 11, 2010 · Viewed 30.8k times · Source

Why can't the keyword this be used in a static method? I am wondering why C# defines this constraint. What benefits can be gained by this constraint?

[Update]: Actually, this is a question I got in an interview. I do know the usage of 'static' and 'this', based on all your response, I guess I know a little of why the two can not be used together. That is, for static method is used to changed state or do something in a type level, but when you need to use 'this' means you want to change the state or do something in a instance level. In order to differentiate the state change of a type and the state change of an instance, then c# donot allow use 'this' in a static method. Am I right?

Answer

Yuriy Faktorovich picture Yuriy Faktorovich · Aug 11, 2010

Because this points to an instance of the class, in the static method you don't have an instance.

The this keyword refers to the current instance of the class. Static member functions do not have a this pointer

You'll notice the definition of a static member is

Use the static modifier to declare a static member, which belongs to the type itself rather than to a specific object

Which is why this has nothing to point to.

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