Drop Python 3.7 support

Author: jarrodmillman

.github/workflows/test.yml

@@ -10,12 +10,11 @@ jobs:
         os: [ubuntu, macos, windows]
         python-version:
           [
-            "3.7",
             "3.8",
             "3.9",
             "3.10",
             "3.11",
-            "3.12-dev",
+            "3.12",
             "pypy-3.8",
             "pypy-3.9",
           ]

lazy_loader/__init__.py

@@ -43,8 +43,6 @@ def attach(package_name, submodules=None, submod_attrs=None):
         {'foo': ['someattr']}
       )
 
-    This functionality requires Python 3.7 or higher.
-
     Parameters
     ----------
     package_name : str
@@ -270,11 +268,7 @@ def _check_requirement(require: str) -> bool:
         the specified version, False otherwise.
     """
     import packaging.requirements
-
-    try:
-        import importlib.metadata as importlib_metadata
-    except ImportError:  # PY37
-        import importlib_metadata
+    import importlib.metadata as importlib_metadata
 
     req = packaging.requirements.Requirement(require)
     return req.specifier.contains(

pyproject.toml

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ build-backend = "setuptools.build_meta"
 
 [project]
 name = "lazy_loader"
-requires-python = ">=3.7"
+requires-python = ">=3.8"
 authors = [{name = "Scientific Python Developers"}]
 readme = "README.md"
 license = {file = "LICENSE.md"}
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ classifiers = [
   "Development Status :: 4 - Beta",
   "License :: OSI Approved :: BSD License",
   "Programming Language :: Python :: 3",
-  "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.7",
   "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.8",
   "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9",
   "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.10",
@@ -23,7 +22,6 @@ classifiers = [
 description = "Makes it easy to load subpackages and functions on demand."
 dependencies = [
   "packaging",
-  "importlib_metadata; python_version < '3.8'",
 ]
 
 [project.optional-dependencies]
@@ -44,7 +42,7 @@ attr = 'lazy_loader.__version__'
 
 [tool.ruff]
 line-length = 88
-target-version = "py37"
+target-version = "py38"
 select = [
     "C",
     "E",