diff --git a/src/mudata/__init__.py b/src/mudata/__init__.py
index 4377213..fa9ca20 100644
--- a/src/mudata/__init__.py
+++ b/src/mudata/__init__.py
@@ -19,8 +19,9 @@
 from ._core.merge import concat
 from ._core.mudata import MuData
 from ._core.to_ import to_anndata, to_mudata
-from .version import __version__, __version_tuple__
+from ._version import __version__, __version_tuple__
 
+# file format versions
 __anndataversion__ = "0.1.0"
 __mudataversion__ = "0.1.0"
 
diff --git a/src/mudata/version.py b/src/mudata/version.py
deleted file mode 100644
index b0c7fcd..0000000
--- a/src/mudata/version.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,37 +0,0 @@
-"""Compute the version number and store it in the `__version__` variable.
-
-Based on <https://github.com/maresb/hatch-vcs-footgun-example>.
-"""
-
-
-def _get_hatch_version():
-    """Compute the most up-to-date version number in a development environment.
-
-    Returns `None` if Hatchling is not installed, e.g. in a production environment.
-
-    For more details, see <https://github.com/maresb/hatch-vcs-footgun-example/>.
-    """
-    import os
-
-    try:
-        from hatchling.metadata.core import ProjectMetadata
-        from hatchling.plugin.manager import PluginManager
-        from hatchling.utils.fs import locate_file
-    except ImportError:
-        # Hatchling is not installed, so probably we are not in
-        # a development environment.
-        return None
-
-    pyproject_toml = locate_file(__file__, "pyproject.toml")
-    if pyproject_toml is None:
-        return None
-    root = os.path.dirname(pyproject_toml)
-    metadata = ProjectMetadata(root=root, plugin_manager=PluginManager())
-    # Version can be either statically set in pyproject.toml or computed dynamically:
-    return metadata.core.version or metadata.hatch.version.cached
-
-
-__version__ = _get_hatch_version()
-__version_tuple__ = None
-if not __version__:  # not in development mode
-    from ._version import __version__