diff --git a/.github/workflows/tests.yml b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
index ef7937c127..7690ce4c42 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
@@ -30,11 +30,19 @@ jobs:
       uses: actions/setup-python@v4
       with:
         python-version: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
+    # see https://github.com/pre-commit/action/#using-this-action
+    - name: pre-commit checks
+      uses: pre-commit/action@v2.0.0
+      env:
+        # it's okay for github to commit to main/master
+        SKIP: no-commit-to-branch
     - name: Install dependencies
       run: |
         python -m pip install --upgrade pip
         pip install setuptools-rust
-        python setup.py install
+        # replacement for "python setup.py install"
+        # See also https://packaging.python.org/en/latest/discussions/setup-py-deprecated/#setup-py-deprecated
+        python -m pip install .
         pip install -r requirements-tests.txt
         cat askbot_setup_test_inputs.txt | askbot-setup
     - name: Run tests
diff --git a/.pre-commit-config.yaml b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9d7aab0360
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+# See http://pre-commit.com/#python
+# See https://github.com/pre-commit/pre-commit-hooks
+# Run 'pre-commit install' to install the pre-commit hooks
+repos:
+
+# TODO: enable
+#- repo: https://github.com/adamchainz/django-upgrade
+#  rev: 1.15.0
+#  hooks:
+#    - id: django-upgrade
+#      args: [--target-version, "4.2"]
+
+- repo: https://github.com/pre-commit/pre-commit-hooks
+  rev: v4.5.0
+  hooks:
+  - id: check-added-large-files
+  - id: check-ast
+  - id: check-case-conflict
+  # TODO: enable check-docstring-first
+  # - id: check-docstring-first
+  - id: check-merge-conflict
+  - id: check-symlinks
+  - id: debug-statements
+  - id: detect-private-key
+  # ruff format will handle quoting
+  # - id: double-quote-string-fixer
+  # TODO: enable each of these, one at a time:
+  # - id: end-of-file-fixer
+  # - id: mixed-line-ending
+  # - id: trailing-whitespace
+  #   exclude: (.csv|.tsv)$
+  # - id: pretty-format-json
+  #   args: ['--no-sort-keys', '--autofix']
+  # don't commit directly to main or master
+  - id: no-commit-to-branch
+
+# TODO: enable auto-formatting of Django templates (html, css, js)
+#- repo: https://github.com/rtts/djhtml
+#  rev: '3.0.6'
+#  hooks:
+#    - id: djhtml
+#    - id: djcss
+#    - id: djjs
+
+- repo: https://github.com/astral-sh/ruff-pre-commit
+  rev: v0.1.5
+  hooks:
+    - id: ruff
+      args: ["--fix"]
+    # TODO: ruff-format
+    # - id: ruff-format
+
+# ruff does not re-implement all of pylint, see https://github.com/astral-sh/ruff/issues/970
+# TODO: put back pylint
+#- repo: https://github.com/PyCQA/pylint
+#  rev: v3.0.1
+#  hooks:
+#    - id: pylint
+#      args:
+#        # black is controlling line length:
+#        - --disable=line-too-long
+#        # let's not worry too much right now about dup code.
+#        - --disable=duplicate-code
+#        - --disable=fixme
+#        - --disable=import-error
+#        - --disable=logging-fstring-interpolation
+#        - --disable=missing-class-docstring
+#        - --disable=missing-function-docstring
+#        - --disable=missing-module-docstring
+#        - --disable=too-few-public-methods
+#        - --disable=too-many-arguments
+#        # - --disable=too-many-branches
+#        - --disable=too-many-locals
+#        # isort is taking care of import order:
+#        - --disable=wrong-import-order
+#        # re-enable these args
+#        - --disable=unused-argument
+#        - --disable=invalid-name
+#        - --disable=raise-missing-from
+
+#- repo: https://github.com/Lucas-C/pre-commit-hooks
+#  rev: v1.5.4
+#  hooks:
+#  # TODO: enable forbid-crlf and forbid-tabs
+#  # - id: forbid-crlf
+#  # don't remove-crlf, seems dangerous
+#  # - id: remove-crlf
+#  # - id: forbid-tabs
+#  # don't remove-tabs, seems dangerous
+#  # - id: remove-tabs
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 2fb196d299..2f1da4d790 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -21,14 +21,16 @@ Branch `0.7.x` - is the latest version supporting Django 1.5
 
 ## Installation
 
-Installation was tested with Python 3.7 with the following commands:
+Install as follows:
 
-        pip install --upgrade pip
-        pip install setuptools-rust
-        python setup.py install
-        askbot-setup # answer the questions or use parameters to askbot-setup
-        cd <root_dir> # substitute <root_dir> with the actual directory, default is `askbot_site`
-        python manage.py migrate # assumes that the database specified by askbot-setup is available
+```
+pip install --upgrade pip
+pip install setuptools-rust
+python -m pip install .
+askbot-setup # answer the questions or use parameters to askbot-setup
+cd <root_dir> # substitute <root_dir> with the actual directory, default is `askbot_site`
+python manage.py migrate # assumes that the database specified by askbot-setup is available
+```
 
 The last command above will create a working Django project in the project root
 directory that you specify with the `askbot-setup` script.
@@ -52,6 +54,19 @@ All documentation is in the directory askbot/doc
 Follow https://help.github.com/articles/fork-a-repo to to learn how to use
 `fetch` and `push` as well as other help on using git.
 
+pre-commit
+==========
+
+This repository uses [pre-commit](https://pre-commit.com/) to check
+some code rules, so please install it:
+
+```
+$ pre-commit install
+```
+
+It will then check the rules upon `git commit`.
+
+
 License, copyright and trademarks
 =================================
 Askbot software is licensed under GPL, version 3.
diff --git a/askbot/management/commands/askbot_add_osqa_content.py b/askbot/management/commands/askbot_add_osqa_content.py
index 225f615b50..0630f25f49 100644
--- a/askbot/management/commands/askbot_add_osqa_content.py
+++ b/askbot/management/commands/askbot_add_osqa_content.py
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ def import_users(self):
             self.copy_bool_parameter(from_user, to_user, 'is_staff')
             self.copy_bool_parameter(from_user, to_user, 'is_active')
             self.copy_bool_parameter(from_user, to_user, 'is_superuser')
-            if from.user.is_superuser:
+            if from_user.is_superuser:
                 to_user.set_status('d')
             self.copy_numeric_parameter(from_user, to_user, 'last_login', operator='max')
             self.copy_numeric_parameter(from_user, to_user, 'date_joined', operator='min')
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8e2eb05307
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+# pyproject.toml duplicates some information in setup.py
+# However, pyproject.toml is now standard, and needed for ruff config
+# See also https://setuptools.pypa.io/en/latest/userguide/pyproject_config.html
+# See also https://packaging.python.org/en/latest/guides/writing-pyproject-toml/
+[project]
+name = "askbot"
+requires-python = ">=3.8"
+dynamic = ["version", "dependencies", "scripts", "classifiers", "license",
+    "description", "readme", "authors", "keywords"]
+
+[tool.setuptools.dynamic]
+version = {attr = "askbot.VERSION"}
+
+[tool.ruff]
+# exclude Django migrations
+extend-exclude = ["**/migrations"]
+
+[tool.ruff.lint]
+# add more rules
+# see https://docs.astral.sh/ruff/configuration/#using-pyprojecttoml
+# "F" contains autoflake, see https://github.com/astral-sh/ruff/issues/1647
+# These are all TODO, because they make so many changes.
+# I put ** on some to do earlier.
+select = [
+    # default Ruff checkers as of ruff 0.1.3: E4, E7, E9, F
+    # ** TODO: "E4",
+    # ** TODO: "E7",
+    # ** TODO: "E9",
+    # ** TODO: "F",  # pyflakes
+
+    # the rest in alphabetical order:
+    # TODO: "A",   # flake8-builtins
+    # TODO: "ARG", # flake8-unused-arguments
+    # TODO: "B",   # flake8-bugbear
+    # TODO: "BLE", # flake8-blind-except
+    # TODO: Do I want "COM", # flake8-commas
+    # TODO: "C4",  # flake8-comprehensions
+    # ** TODO: "DJ",  # flake8-django
+    # TODO: "DTZ", # flake8-datetimez
+    # TODO: "EM",  # flake8-errmsg
+    # ** TODO: "EXE", # flake8-executable
+    # TODO: "FURB", # refurb
+    # TODO: "FBT", # flake8-boolean-trap
+    # TODO: "G",   # flake8-logging-format
+    # ** TODO: "I",   # isort
+    # TODO: "ICN", # flake8-import-conventions
+    # TODO: "INP", # flake8-no-pep420
+    # TODO: "INT", # flake8-gettext
+    # TODO: "ISC", # flake8-implicit-str-concat
+    # TODO: "LOG", # flake8-logging
+    # TODO: "PERF", # perflint
+    # TODO: "PIE", # flake8-pie
+    # TODO: "PL",  # pylint
+    # TODO: "PYI", # flake8-pyi
+    # TODO: "RET", # flake8-return
+    # TODO: "RSE", # flake8-raise
+    # TODO: "RUF",
+    # TODO: "SIM", # flake8-simplify
+    # TODO: "SLF", # flake8-self
+    # TODO: "SLOT", # flake8-slots
+    # TODO: "TID", # flake8-tidy-imports
+    # ** TODO: "UP",  # pyupgrade
+    # ** TODO: "Q",   # flake8-quotes
+    # TODO: "TCH", # flake8-type-checking
+    # TODO: "T10", # flake8-debugger
+    # ** TODO: "T20", # flake8-print
+    # TODO: "S",   # flake8-bandit
+    # TODO: "YTT", # flake8-2020
+    # TODO: add more flake8 rules
+]
+
+# rules to ignore globally:
+ignore = [
+]
+
+[tool.ruff.lint.extend-per-file-ignores]
+
+# per-file ignores
+#"**/migrations/*" = ["Q"]
+#"**/management/commands/*" = ["T20"]