diff --git a/.github/workflows/pythonpackage.yml b/.github/workflows/pythonpackage.yml
index c9a5271fc..bbd43adbc 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pythonpackage.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pythonpackage.yml
@@ -5,6 +5,13 @@ on: [push, pull_request]
 jobs:
   lint:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    env:
+      FORCE_COLOR: 1
+      PY_COLORS: 1
+      TERM: xterm-color
+      MYPY_FORCE_COLOR: 1
+      MYPY_FORCE_TERMINAL_WIDTH: 200
+      PYTEST_ADDOPTS: --color=yes
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v2
       - uses: actions/setup-python@v2
@@ -13,7 +20,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Install dependencies
         run: |
           pip install --upgrade pip
-          pip install -e . --config-settings editable_mode=compat --use-pep517
+          pip install -e .
           pip install -r requirements.txt
       - name: flake8
         run: flake8 dedupe tests benchmarks/benchmarks
@@ -27,6 +34,13 @@ jobs:
         if: always()
         run: mypy
   test:
+    env:
+      FORCE_COLOR: 1
+      PY_COLORS: 1
+      TERM: xterm-color
+      MYPY_FORCE_COLOR: 1
+      MYPY_FORCE_TERMINAL_WIDTH: 200
+      PYTEST_ADDOPTS: --color=yes
     timeout-minutes: 40
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
     strategy:
@@ -44,7 +58,7 @@ jobs:
     - name: Install dependencies
       run: |
         pip install --upgrade pip
-        pip install -e . --config-settings editable_mode=compat --use-pep517
+        pip install -e .
     - name: Install test dependencies
       run: pip install -r requirements.txt
     - name: pytest
@@ -89,7 +103,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Install dependencies
         run: |
           pip install --upgrade pip
-          pip install -e . --config-settings editable_mode=compat
+          pip install -e .
           python -m pip install -e ./benchmarks
       - name: Run on canonical on main
         run: python benchmarks/benchmarks/canonical.py
@@ -98,7 +112,7 @@ jobs:
         with:
           clean: false
       - name: Install any new dependencies
-        run: pip install -e . --config-settings editable_mode=compat --use-pep517
+        run: pip install -e .
       - name: Run on canonical with setting file created on main
         run: python benchmarks/benchmarks/canonical.py      
   wheels:
diff --git a/dedupe/__init__.py b/dedupe/__init__.py
index cf75318a5..726836a72 100644
--- a/dedupe/__init__.py
+++ b/dedupe/__init__.py
@@ -1,7 +1,15 @@
-#!/usr/bin/python
-# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
-from pkgutil import extend_path
-
-__path__ = extend_path(__path__, __name__)
-
-from dedupe._init import *  # noqa
+from dedupe.api import (  # noqa: F401
+    Dedupe,
+    Gazetteer,
+    RecordLink,
+    StaticDedupe,
+    StaticGazetteer,
+    StaticRecordLink,
+)
+from dedupe.convenience import (  # noqa: F401
+    canonicalize,
+    console_label,
+    training_data_dedupe,
+    training_data_link,
+)
+from dedupe.serializer import read_training, write_training  # noqa: F401
diff --git a/dedupe/_init.py b/dedupe/_init.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 726836a72..000000000
--- a/dedupe/_init.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,15 +0,0 @@
-from dedupe.api import (  # noqa: F401
-    Dedupe,
-    Gazetteer,
-    RecordLink,
-    StaticDedupe,
-    StaticGazetteer,
-    StaticRecordLink,
-)
-from dedupe.convenience import (  # noqa: F401
-    canonicalize,
-    console_label,
-    training_data_dedupe,
-    training_data_link,
-)
-from dedupe.serializer import read_training, write_training  # noqa: F401
diff --git a/dedupe/datamodel.py b/dedupe/datamodel.py
index bb4335658..d005877ed 100644
--- a/dedupe/datamodel.py
+++ b/dedupe/datamodel.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import copyreg
-import pkgutil
+import sys
 import types
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, cast
 
@@ -12,10 +12,10 @@
 from dedupe.variables.base import MissingDataType, Variable
 from dedupe.variables.interaction import InteractionType
 
-for _, module, _ in pkgutil.iter_modules(  # type: ignore
-    dedupe.variables.__path__, "dedupe.variables."
-):
-    __import__(module)
+if sys.version_info >= (3, 8):
+    from importlib import metadata as importlib_metadata
+else:
+    import importlib_metadata
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from typing import Generator, Iterable, Sequence
@@ -28,7 +28,14 @@
     )
     from dedupe.predicates import Predicate
 
-VARIABLE_CLASSES = {k: v for k, v in FieldVariable.all_subclasses() if k}
+
+def load_setuptools_entrypoints(group: str):
+    variables = []
+    for dist in list(importlib_metadata.distributions()):
+        for ep in dist.entry_points:
+            if ep.group == group:
+                variables.append(ep.load())
+    return variables
 
 
 class DataModel(object):
@@ -145,6 +152,16 @@ def __setstate__(self, d):
 def typify_variables(
     variable_definitions: Iterable[VariableDefinition],
 ) -> tuple[list[FieldVariable], list[Variable]]:
+
+    variable_types = {}
+    for variablename in dedupe.variables.__all__:
+        variable = getattr(dedupe.variables, variablename)
+        variable_types[variable.type] = variable
+
+    plugin_vars = load_setuptools_entrypoints("dedupevariables")
+    for var in plugin_vars:
+        variable_types[var.type] = var
+
     primary_variables: list[FieldVariable] = []
     all_variables: list[Variable] = []
     only_custom = True
@@ -181,11 +198,11 @@ def typify_variables(
             ]
 
         try:
-            variable_class = VARIABLE_CLASSES[variable_type]
+            variable_class = variable_types[variable_type]
         except KeyError:
             raise KeyError(
                 "Field type %s not valid. Valid types include %s"
-                % (definition["type"], ", ".join(VARIABLE_CLASSES))
+                % (definition["type"], ", ".join(variable_types))
             )
 
         variable_object = variable_class(definition)
diff --git a/dedupe/variables/__init__.py b/dedupe/variables/__init__.py
index b36383a61..39950042e 100644
--- a/dedupe/variables/__init__.py
+++ b/dedupe/variables/__init__.py
@@ -1,3 +1,24 @@
-from pkgutil import extend_path
+# flake8: noqa
+from dedupe.variables.base import CustomType
+from dedupe.variables.categorical_type import CategoricalType
+from dedupe.variables.exact import ExactType
+from dedupe.variables.exists import ExistsType
+from dedupe.variables.interaction import InteractionType
+from dedupe.variables.latlong import LatLongType
+from dedupe.variables.price import PriceType
+from dedupe.variables.set import SetType
+from dedupe.variables.string import ShortStringType, StringType, TextType
 
-__path__ = extend_path(__path__, __name__)
+__all__ = [
+    "CustomType",
+    "CategoricalType",
+    "ExactType",
+    "ExistsType",
+    "InteractionType",
+    "LatLongType",
+    "PriceType",
+    "SetType",
+    "ShortStringType",
+    "StringType",
+    "TextType",
+]
diff --git a/dedupe/variables/base.py b/dedupe/variables/base.py
index f80b28faa..f0c82de64 100644
--- a/dedupe/variables/base.py
+++ b/dedupe/variables/base.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 from dedupe import predicates
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
-    from typing import Any, ClassVar, Generator, Iterable, Optional, Sequence, Type
+    from typing import Any, ClassVar, Iterable, Sequence, Type
 
     from dedupe._typing import Comparator, PredicateFunction, VariableDefinition
 
@@ -47,15 +47,6 @@ def __getstate__(self) -> dict[str, Any]:
 
         return odict
 
-    @classmethod
-    def all_subclasses(
-        cls,
-    ) -> Generator[tuple[Optional[str], Type["Variable"]], None, None]:
-        for q in cls.__subclasses__():
-            yield getattr(q, "type", None), q
-            for p in q.all_subclasses():
-                yield p
-
 
 class DerivedType(Variable):
     type = "Derived"
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 957c88500..7841e5afb 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 [project]
 name = "dedupe"
 description = "A python library for accurate and scaleable data deduplication and entity-resolution"
-version = "2.0.20"
+version = "3.0.0"
 readme = "README.md"
 requires-python = ">=3.7"
 license = {file = "LICENSE"}
-keywords = []
+keywords = ["entity-resolution", "deduplication", "record-linkage", "dedupe", "clustering"]
 authors = [
   { name = "Forest Gregg", email = "fgregg@datamade.us" },
 ]
@@ -51,13 +51,13 @@ MailingList = "https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/open-source-deduplication
 
 
 [build-system]
-requires = ["setuptools==63",
+requires = ["setuptools",
             "wheel",
             "cython"]
 build-backend = "setuptools.build_meta"
 
 [tool.setuptools]
-packages = ["dedupe", "dedupe.variables"]
+packages = ["dedupe"]
 
 [tool.mypy]
 plugins = "numpy.typing.mypy_plugin"