Deprecate v3 in v4

README.rst

@@ -23,6 +23,15 @@ The client is tested for python 3.8 and higher.
 
 Visit the official `Weaviate <https://weaviate.io/>`_ website for more information about the Weaviate and how to use it in production.
 
+Client Versions
+---------------
+We currently support the following versions client versions:
+
+- 4.X: actively supported
+- 3.X: deprecated, receives only critical bug fixes and dependency updates
+- copy of the 3.X branch in v4 releases: Will be removed on 2024-11-30
+
+
 Articles
 --------
 
@@ -32,7 +41,6 @@ Here are some articles on Weaviate:
 - `Getting Started with Weaviate Python Library <https://towardsdatascience.com/getting-started-with-weaviate-python-client-e85d14f19e4f>`_
 - `A sub-50ms neural search with DistilBERT and Weaviate <https://towardsdatascience.com/a-sub-50ms-neural-search-with-distilbert-and-weaviate-4857ae390154>`_
 
-
 Documentation
 -------------
 

weaviate/client.py

@@ -7,23 +7,22 @@
 
 from httpx import HTTPError as HttpxError
 from requests.exceptions import ConnectionError as RequestsConnectionError
+from typing_extensions import deprecated
 
+from weaviate import syncify
 from weaviate.backup.backup import _BackupAsync
 from weaviate.backup.sync import _Backup
-
-
-from weaviate import syncify
+from weaviate.event_loop import _EventLoopSingleton, _EventLoop
 from .auth import AuthCredentials
 from .backup import Backup
 from .batch import Batch
 from .classification import Classification
-
 from .client_base import _WeaviateClientBase
 from .cluster import Cluster
-from .collections.collections.async_ import _CollectionsAsync
-from .collections.collections.sync import _Collections
 from .collections.batch.client import _BatchClientWrapper
 from .collections.cluster import _Cluster, _ClusterAsync
+from .collections.collections.async_ import _CollectionsAsync
+from .collections.collections.sync import _Collections
 from .config import AdditionalConfig, Config
 from .connect import Connection
 from .connect.base import (
@@ -40,7 +39,6 @@
 )
 from .gql import Query
 from .schema import Schema
-from weaviate.event_loop import _EventLoopSingleton, _EventLoop
 from .types import NUMBER
 from .util import _get_valid_timeout_config, _type_request_response
 from .warnings import _Warnings
@@ -175,6 +173,17 @@ async def __aexit__(self, exc_type: Any, exc_value: Any, traceback: Any) -> None
         await self.close()
 
 
+@deprecated(
+    """
+Python client v3 `weaviate.Client(...)` connections and methods are deprecated and will
+            be removed by 2024-11-30.
+
+            Upgrade your code to use Python client v4 `weaviate.WeaviateClient` connections and methods.
+                - For Python Client v4 usage, see: https://weaviate.io/developers/weaviate/client-libraries/python
+                - For code migration, see: https://weaviate.io/developers/weaviate/client-libraries/python/v3_v4_migration
+
+            If you have to use v3 code, install the v3 client and pin the v3 dependency in your requirements file: `weaviate-client>=3.26.7;<4.0.0`"""
+)
 class Client:
     """
     The v3 Python-native Weaviate Client class that encapsulates Weaviate functionalities in one object.

weaviate/warnings.py

@@ -160,12 +160,14 @@ def root_module_import(name: str, loc: str) -> None:
     @staticmethod
     def weaviate_v3_client_is_deprecated() -> None:
         warnings.warn(
-            message="""Dep016: Python client v3 `weaviate.Client(...)` connections and methods are deprecated. Update
-            your code to use Python client v4 `weaviate.WeaviateClient` connections and methods.
+            message="""Dep016: Python client v3 `weaviate.Client(...)` connections and methods are deprecated and will
+            be removed by 2024-11-30.
 
-            For Python Client v4 usage, see: https://weaviate.io/developers/weaviate/client-libraries/python
-            For code migration, see: https://weaviate.io/developers/weaviate/client-libraries/python/v3_v4_migration
-            """,
+            Upgrade your code to use Python client v4 `weaviate.WeaviateClient` connections and methods.
+                - For Python Client v4 usage, see: https://weaviate.io/developers/weaviate/client-libraries/python
+                - For code migration, see: https://weaviate.io/developers/weaviate/client-libraries/python/v3_v4_migration
+
+            If you have to use v3 code, install the v3 client and pin the v3 dependency in your requirements file: `weaviate-client>=3.26.7;<4.0.0`""",
             category=DeprecationWarning,
             stacklevel=1,
         )