# error: option --use-2to3 not recognized
usage: setup.py [global_opts] cmd1 [cmd1_opts] ...
setup.py: error: no such option: --use-2to3

- **ID:** `python/setuptools-use-2to3-removed`
- **Domain:** python
- **Category:** install_error
- **Verification:** ai_generated
- **Fix Rate:** 80%

## Root Cause

setuptools 58+ removed the 2to3 build support. Packages with `use_2to3=True` in setup.py now fail because the option no longer exists.

## Version Compatibility

| Version | Status | Introduced | Deprecated |
|---------|--------|------------|------------|
| 3.7 | active | — | — |
| 3.8 | active | — | — |
| 3.9 | active | — | — |
| 3.10 | active | — | — |

## Workarounds

1. **** (80% success)
   ```
   pip install 'setuptools<58' wheel
pip install --no-build-isolation <package>
   ```
2. **** (75% success)
   ```
   pip install --only-binary=:all: <package>
   ```

## Dead Ends

- **** — Many legacy packages are unmaintained; the latest release still contains use_2to3=True. (70% fail)
- **** — The 2to3 tool is part of the stdlib; installing a package named 2to3 does not restore setuptools' removed option. (95% fail)