attributesmethodsinstance variablesand class variables method is function you invoke on an instance of the class or the class itself method that is invoked on an instance is sometimes called an instance method you can also invoke method directly on classin which case it is called class method or static method attributes that take data values on per-instance basis are frequently referred to as instance variables attributes that take on values on per-class basis are called class attributes or static attributes or class variables purdue university