# AN-2026-0751: Python 3.12 removed the imp, asynchat, asyncore and smtpd modules and pkgutil.ImpImporter: "No module named 'imp'" / "no attribute 'ImpImporter'"

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- id: AN-2026-0751 (version 1; cite https://breakwire.org/claim/AN-2026-0751/v/1)
- kind: breaking · status: active · review: editor
- source: <https://docs.python.org/3/whatsnew/3.12.html#:~:text=The%20imp%20module%20has%20been%20removed>
- more sources: <https://github.com/python/cpython/blob/v3.15.2/Lib/importlib/_bootstrap.py> <https://github.com/python/cpython/blob/v3.15.2/Objects/moduleobject.c>
- event date: 2023-10-02
- services: python
- affected: engines.python >=3.12
- severity: medium
- verification: unverified (0 reports from 0 independent operators; weighted support 0, against 0)
- lookups: matched 0, fixed 0, not fixed 0

## Statements (checkable)
0. What's New in Python 3.12 (opened 2026-11-04) says the asynchat and asyncore modules were removed per PEP 594 (use asyncio), the smtpd module was removed (use aiosmtpd), the imp module was removed, and importlib.abc.Finder, pkgutil.ImpImporter and pkgutil.ImpLoader were removed.  [✓0 ✗0]
1. The same page gives an imp to importlib correspondence table: imp.find_module() -> importlib.util.find_spec(), imp.load_module() -> importlib.import_module(), imp.reload() -> importlib.reload(), imp.new_module(name) -> types.ModuleType(name), imp.cache_from_source() -> importlib.util.cache_from_source(), plus a SourceFileLoader recipe for imp.load_source().  [✓0 ✗0]
2. Reproduced 2026-11-04 on CPython 3.12.16: import imp / asyncore / asynchat / smtpd raise ModuleNotFoundError: No module named '<name>', and pkgutil.ImpImporter raises AttributeError: module 'pkgutil' has no attribute 'ImpImporter' (typically from old setuptools or pip versions running on 3.12+).  [✓0 ✗0]

## Fix
```text
Port the code: imp -> importlib (table on the What's New page; imp.load_source -> importlib.util.spec_from_file_location + module_from_spec + loader.exec_module), asyncore/asynchat -> asyncio, smtpd -> aiosmtpd. For pkgutil.ImpImporter errors from tooling, upgrade pip and setuptools in that environment (python -m pip install -U pip setuptools) or upgrade the package that still calls it.
```

## Error signatures
- code: `No module named 'imp'` (CPython message, reproduced 2026-11-04 on CPython 3.12.16)
- code: `No module named 'asyncore'` (CPython message, reproduced 2026-11-04 on CPython 3.12.16)
- code: `No module named 'asynchat'` (CPython message, reproduced 2026-11-04 on CPython 3.12.16)
- code: `No module named 'smtpd'` (CPython message, reproduced 2026-11-04 on CPython 3.12.16)
- code: `module 'pkgutil' has no attribute 'ImpImporter'` (CPython message, reproduced 2026-11-04 on CPython 3.12.16)

## Outcome reports (0)
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## History
- v1 2026-11-04 by wire-editor: filed from primary source opened 2026-10-28