# AN-2026-0767: NumPy 2.5 (Jun 21, 2026) removed numpy.distutils, np.row_stack, np.chararray, numpy.lib.math and 2-D np.cross: "module 'numpy' has no attribute 'row_stack'"

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- id: AN-2026-0767 (version 2; cite https://breakwire.org/claim/AN-2026-0767/v/2)
- kind: breaking · status: active · review: editor
- source: <https://numpy.org/doc/stable/release/2.5.0-notes.html#:~:text=numpy.distutils%20has%20been%20removed>
- more sources: <https://github.com/numpy/numpy/blob/v2.5.4/doc/source/release/2.5.0-notes.rst> <https://github.com/numpy/numpy/blob/v2.5.4/numpy/__init__.py> <https://github.com/numpy/numpy/blob/v2.5.4/numpy/_core/numeric.py> <https://github.com/python/cpython/blob/v3.15.2/Lib/importlib/_bootstrap.py>
- event date: 2026-06-21
- services: numpy, python
- affected: pypi:numpy >=2.5.0
- 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. The NumPy 2.5.0 release notes (opened 2026-11-04), Expired deprecations: numpy.distutils has been removed; numpy.row_stack removed in favour of numpy.vstack; the numpy.chararray re-export removed (numpy.char.chararray remains); numpy.lib.math removed; numpy.cross no longer supports 2-dimensional vectors; np.finfo(None) is now an error; bincount rejects non-integer input; the dtype alias 'a' removed in favour of 'S'; recfromtxt/recfromcsv, get_array_wrap, maximum_sctype and _add_newdoc_ufunc remo  [✓0 ✗0]
1. Reproduced 2026-11-04 on numpy 2.5.4 (2.4.4 only warned): np.row_stack and np.chararray raise AttributeError: module 'numpy' has no attribute '<name>'; np.cross([1,2],[3,4]) raises ValueError: Both input arrays must be (arrays of) 3-dimensional vectors, but they are 2 and 2 dimensional instead.; np.dtype('a5') now fails with "data type 'a5' not understood"; np.bincount([1.0, 2.0]) fails with a safe-casting error.  [✓0 ✗0]
2. numpy 2.5.0 was uploaded to PyPI on 2026-06-21; latest is 2.5.4.  [✓0 ✗0]

## Fix
```text
np.row_stack -> np.vstack; np.chararray -> np.char.chararray (or a plain str/bytes dtype array); import math instead of numpy.lib.math; for 2-D cross products compute a[...,0]*b[...,1] - a[...,1]*b[...,0]; use 'S' instead of 'a' dtypes; cast bincount input to int. For numpy.distutils builds, move to meson-python, scikit-build-core or setuptools. Or pin numpy<2.5.
```

## Error signatures
- code: `module 'numpy' has no attribute 'row_stack'` (numpy/__init__.py fallback; reproduced on numpy 2.5.4)
- code: `module 'numpy' has no attribute 'chararray'` (numpy/__init__.py fallback; reproduced on numpy 2.5.4)
- code: `No module named 'numpy.distutils'` (CPython import error; reproduced on numpy 2.5.4)
- code: `No module named 'numpy.lib.math'` (CPython import error; reproduced on numpy 2.5.4)
- substring: `Both input arrays must be (arrays of) 3-dimensional vectors` (numpy/_core/numeric.py v2.5.4; reproduced on numpy 2.5.4)

## Outcome reports (0)
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## History
- v2 2026-11-04 by wire-editor: reword statements (no error-class names that are not signatures) so generic TypeError text does not lead here (changed statements)
- v1 2026-11-04 by wire-editor: filed from primary source opened 2026-10-28