### Background on Helper Functions Helper functions are auxiliary functions designed to perform specific, often repetitive tasks. They are used to keep code organized, clean, and modular, which enhances readability and maintainability. ### `@staticmethod` and `@classmethod` In Python, methods within a class can be defined in several ways, with the standard method being the most common, which operates on instances of the class. However, Python also supports two decorators that modify methods: `@staticmethod` and `@classmethod`. 1. **`@staticmethod`**: This decorator is used to define a method that doesn't operate on an instance of the class nor modify the class state. It doesn't take `self` or `cls` as the first parameter. It’s a way to namespace functions which are logically part of the class but don't interact with class-specific data. 2. **`@classmethod`**: Unlike static methods, class methods take `cls` as the first parameter while calling. This means they can modify the class itself, not just specific instances. Class methods can access and modify class state that applies across all instances of the class, making them useful for factory methods, which instantiate instances of a class, using different parameters than those usually passed to the class constructor. ### Usage in Context By defining helper functions as `@staticmethod` or `@classmethod`, these methods are clearly indicated as utility functions that might not directly interact with instance-specific data. This approach keeps the functionality organized and directly associated with the class where they make the most logical sense, even though they don't necessarily manipulate instance or class state. These methods are beneficial for: - Utility tasks that need to be performed by the class but don't modify its state. - Operations that need to be performed on class data, shared configurations, or where instantiation of the class to use the method is not necessary. In essence, using these decorators helps maintain a clean and efficient class definition, ensuring that methods which do not require access to the `self` or `cls` object are appropriately marked, reducing the overhead and potential for bugs in the application.