diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 8eea61f7d..a61b69dcd 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -1,39 +1,18 @@
 #! /usr/bin/env python
 import platform
 import os.path as op
-import os
 import subprocess
 import shutil
 
-from setuptools import setup, find_packages, Command
+from setuptools import setup, Command
 from setuptools.command.build_py import build_py
 
-descr = """Code for biophysical simulation of a cortical column using Neuron"""
-
-DISTNAME = 'hnn-core'
-DESCRIPTION = descr
-MAINTAINER = 'Mainak Jas'
-MAINTAINER_EMAIL = 'mainakjas@gmail.com'
-URL = ''
-LICENSE = 'BSD (3-clause)'
-DOWNLOAD_URL = 'http://github.com/jonescompneurolab/hnn-core'
-
-# get the version
-version = None
-with open(os.path.join('hnn_core', '__init__.py'), 'r') as fid:
-    for line in (line.strip() for line in fid):
-        if line.startswith('__version__'):
-            version = line.split('=')[1].strip().strip('\'')
-            break
-if version is None:
-    raise RuntimeError('Could not determine version')
-
-
-# test install with:
+# test the build of wheel and sdist:
+# First remove residual mod files
 # $ rm -rf hnn_core/mod/x86_64/
-# $ python setup.py clean --all install
-#
-# to make sure there are no residual mod files
+# or for Apple silicon
+# $ rm -rf hnn_core/mod/mod64/
+# $ python -m build
 #
 # also see following link to understand why build_py must be overridden:
 # https://stackoverflow.com/questions/51243633/python-setuptools-setup-py-install-does-not-automatically-call-build
@@ -72,59 +51,5 @@ def run(self):
 
         build_py.run(self)
 
+setup(cmdclass={'build_py': build_py_mod, 'build_mod': BuildMod})
 
-if __name__ == "__main__":
-    extras = {
-        'opt': ['scikit-learn'],
-        'parallel': ['joblib', 'psutil'],
-        'test': ['flake8', 'pytest', 'pytest-cov', ],
-        'docs': ['mne', 'nibabel', 'pooch', 'tdqm',
-                 'sphinx', 'sphinx-gallery',
-                 'sphinx_bootstrap_theme', 'sphinx-copybutton',
-                 'pillow', 'numpydoc',
-                 ],
-        'gui': ['ipywidgets>=8.0.0', 'ipykernel', 'ipympl', 'voila', ],
-    }
-    extras['dev'] = (extras['opt'] + extras['parallel'] + extras['test'] +
-                     extras['docs'] + extras['gui']
-                     )
-
-
-    setup(name=DISTNAME,
-          maintainer=MAINTAINER,
-          maintainer_email=MAINTAINER_EMAIL,
-          description=DESCRIPTION,
-          license=LICENSE,
-          url=URL,
-          version=version,
-          download_url=DOWNLOAD_URL,
-          long_description=open('README.rst').read(),
-          classifiers=[
-              'Intended Audience :: Science/Research',
-              'Intended Audience :: Developers',
-              'License :: OSI Approved',
-              'Programming Language :: Python',
-              'Topic :: Software Development',
-              'Topic :: Scientific/Engineering',
-              'Operating System :: Microsoft :: Windows',
-              'Operating System :: POSIX',
-              'Operating System :: Unix',
-              'Operating System :: MacOS',
-          ],
-          platforms='any',
-          install_requires=[
-              'numpy >=1.14',
-              'NEURON >=7.7; platform_system != "Windows"',
-              'matplotlib>=3.5.3',
-              'scipy',
-              'h5io'
-          ],
-          extras_require=extras,
-          python_requires='>=3.8',
-          packages=find_packages(),
-          package_data={'hnn_core': [
-              'param/*.json',
-              'gui/*.ipynb']},
-          cmdclass={'build_py': build_py_mod, 'build_mod': BuildMod},
-          entry_points={'console_scripts': ['hnn-gui=hnn_core.gui.gui:launch']}
-          )