diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 8997ff18a..0409134ec 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -1,26 +1,24 @@
 [build-system]
 build-backend = "setuptools.build_meta"
 requires = [
-  "Cython>=0.29",
-  'numpy>=2.0.0rc1; python_version >= "3.9"',
-  'oldest-supported-numpy; python_version < "3.9"',
+  "cython>=0.29",
+  "numpy>=2.0.0rc1; python_version>='3.9'",
+  "oldest-supported-numpy; python_version<'3.9'",
   "setuptools>=61",
 ]
 
-[project.readme]
-text = """\
+[project]
+name = "netcdf4"
+description = "Provides an object-oriented python interface to the netCDF version 4 library"
+readme.content-type = "text/x-rst"
+readme.text = "\
 netCDF version 4 has many features not found in earlier versions of the library,
 such as hierarchical groups, zlib compression, multiple unlimited dimensions,
 and new data types.  It is implemented on top of HDF5.  This module implements
 most of the new features, and can read and write netCDF files compatible with
 older versions of the library.  The API is modelled after Scientific.IO.NetCDF,
 and should be familiar to users of that module.
-"""
-content-type = "text/x-rst"
-
-[project]
-name = "netcdf4"
-description = "Provides an object-oriented python interface to the netCDF version 4 library"
+"
 keywords = [
   "climate",
   "data",
@@ -31,9 +29,9 @@ keywords = [
   "oceanography",
   "science",
 ]
-license = {text = "MIT"}
+license = { text = "MIT" }
 authors = [
-  {name = "Jeff Whitaker", email = "jeffrey.s.whitaker@noaa.gov"},
+  { name = "Jeff Whitaker", email = "jeffrey.s.whitaker@noaa.gov" },
 ]
 requires-python = ">=3.8"
 classifiers = [
@@ -59,24 +57,27 @@ dependencies = [
   "cftime",
   "numpy",
 ]
-[project.optional-dependencies]
-tests = [
-  "Cython",
+optional-dependencies.tests = [
+  "cython",
   "packaging",
   "pytest",
 ]
-[project.urls]
-Documentation = "https://unidata.github.io/netcdf4-python/"
-Repository = "https://github.com/Unidata/netcdf4-python"
-[project.scripts]
-nc3tonc4 = "netCDF4.utils:nc3tonc4"
-nc4tonc3 = "netCDF4.utils:nc4tonc3"
-ncinfo = "netCDF4.utils:ncinfo"
-[tool.setuptools.packages.find]
-where = ["src"]
-
+urls.Documentation = "https://unidata.github.io/netcdf4-python/"
+urls.Repository = "https://github.com/Unidata/netcdf4-python"
+scripts.nc3tonc4 = "netCDF4.utils:nc3tonc4"
+scripts.nc4tonc3 = "netCDF4.utils:nc4tonc3"
+scripts.ncinfo = "netCDF4.utils:ncinfo"
 [tool.setuptools.package-data]
-"netCDF4.plugins" = ["lib__nc*"]
+"netCDF4.plugins" = [
+  "lib__nc*",
+]
+
+[tool.setuptools.packages.find]
+where = [
+  "src",
+]
 
 [tool.pytest.ini_options]
-pythonpath = ["test"]
+pythonpath = [
+  "test",
+]