Static and instance context

The callable surface and generated Grafts distinguish static operations from instance operations.

Side-by-side comparison: a static call executes at type level with no object, while an instance call constructs an object whose runtime context is retained but is not durable across restarts

Static operations

A static method belongs to the type. The Graftcode Engine records it as a static operation, and generated wrappers invoke it without first constructing an object.

Static does not automatically mean stateless. A static implementation can still read or mutate process state. stateless is also a separate configuration value in generated GraftConfig.

Instance operations

Public constructors are represented separately, and instance methods are represented as INSTANCE_METHOD. Generated instance wrappers retain runtime object context used by subsequent operations.

This distinction is visible in Vision and in the generated static/instance calls.

Lifetime and routing caveat

Constructors and instance operations are generated and carry context. There is no universal object-lifetime guarantee across Gateway restarts, reconnects, retries, all transports, or all language pairs.

Treat an instance Graft as bound to runtime context. Do not persist it as a durable identifier unless a specific runtime and version documents and tests that behavior.

Choosing a shape

Prefer static methods when the operation naturally depends only on supplied inputs and shared services.
Prefer instances when constructor inputs and a sequence of operations are part of the domain model.
Keep durable identity in explicit domain IDs when it must survive process or connection lifetime.

See Contract evolution before changing between static and instance forms; it changes generated Caller code.