Static class or not?

[cobalt locust]

Currently, I am writing my term paper and I have created a class ClassRenderer which basically renders text, textures, etc. on my screen (I use SDL2.0 library). And I wonder if I should turn the class into a static class and call methods by ClassRenderer::RenderText(...) or rather use ev->RenderText(...)?

[tall oyster]

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[cobalt locust]

Static class or not?

[fallen bough]

I would advise against this

Well, to be more precise, I would advise against this **if non-constant static member variables are involved **

because then you'd be introducing mutable global state in your program and that's the breeding ground for headache-inducing problems, all sorts of them

if you only have static member functions which don't rely on any non-constant static member variables, then I'd consider turning the class into a namespace, because those are all essentially free functions

[ripe nymph]

@cobalt locust he is right

[cobalt locust]

Just clarifying 2 things:

1. You would advice against turning a class into a static one?
2. Non-constant static member variables from other classes?

[fallen bough]

I advise against making code rely on mutable global state, wherever that state is located

<pedantic>there's also no such thing as a static class, this is a C# concept iirc, static in C++ can mean different things based on context but it never applies to classes</pedantic>

it's fine to use static members

but if you're turning every member function from a class into static ones, then drop the class altogether and make it a namespace

[cobalt locust]

I mean that in that class only static methods will be used

and there will be (probably) no const variables

[fallen bough]

I understood, but terminology is only going to get more important as you go, hence the remark 😛

[fallen bough]

it's fine to rely on const variables

it's the non-const ones that are a problem if you need to store them outside the functions

[cobalt locust]

my bad if I caused misunderstandings

[fallen bough]

no worries

[fallen bough]

that is because they effectively become global state that your functions are relying on

what happens if two functions that rely on those are called at the same time ?

if the global variables they access are non-const, they might be tempted to write to it, both at the same time, or one while the other is reading from it

that's a race condition and it makes things go boom

if they're const you have no such problem

but then again you should turn that class into a namespace

[fallen bough]

if you're in this predicament, thankfully the solution isn't to write code that gracefully handles race conditions (that would be needlessly complex): instead, just don't make the member functions static

[ripe nymph]

if @cobalt locust your question is solved then make it !solved

[cobalt locust]

I know

I re-read messages qreon has sent

I guess I now understand what you mean @fallen bough. Thank you!