diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 943ad46..c75a5de 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ jupyter lab
 
 ```bash
 # create a new conda environment
-mamba create -n ipylab -c conda-forge jupyter-packaging nodejs python -y
+mamba create -n ipylab -c conda-forge jupyter-packaging nodejs python=3.10 -y
 
 # activate the environment
 conda activate ipylab
diff --git a/ipylab/asyncwidget.py b/ipylab/asyncwidget.py
index e31d08a..2b4794c 100644
--- a/ipylab/asyncwidget.py
+++ b/ipylab/asyncwidget.py
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import asyncio
-import enum
 import inspect
+import sys
 import textwrap
 import types
 import uuid
@@ -17,6 +17,12 @@
 import ipylab._frontend as _fe
 from ipylab.hookspecs import pm
 
+if sys.version_info >= (3, 11):
+    from enum import StrEnum
+else:
+    from backports.strenum import StrEnum
+
+
 __all__ = ["AsyncWidgetBase", "WidgetBase", "register", "pack", "Widget"]
 
 
@@ -48,7 +54,7 @@ def pack_code(code: str | types.ModuleType) -> str:
     return code
 
 
-class TransformMode(enum.StrEnum):
+class TransformMode(StrEnum):
     """The transformation to apply to the result of frontend operations prior to sending.
 
     - done: [default] A string '--DONE--'
diff --git a/ipylab/commands.py b/ipylab/commands.py
index 772e1a5..9ea43ee 100644
--- a/ipylab/commands.py
+++ b/ipylab/commands.py
@@ -51,16 +51,15 @@ def _observe_commands(self, change):
     async def _do_operation_for_frontend(
         self, operation: str, payload: dict, buffers: list
     ) -> bool | None:
-        match operation:
-            case "execute":
-                command_id = payload.get("id")
-                cmd = self._execute_callbacks[command_id]
-                result = cmd(**payload.get("kwgs", {}))
-                if asyncio.iscoroutine(result):
-                    result = await result
-                return result
-            case _:
-                pm.hook.unhandled_frontend_operation_message(self, operation)
+        if operation == "execute":
+            command_id = payload.get("id")
+            cmd = self._execute_callbacks[command_id]
+            result = cmd(**payload.get("kwgs", {}))
+            if asyncio.iscoroutine(result):
+                result = await result
+            return result
+        else:
+            pm.hook.unhandled_frontend_operation_message(self, operation)
 
     def execute(
         self,
diff --git a/ipylab/jupyterfrontend.py b/ipylab/jupyterfrontend.py
index be50762..2d8b9c0 100644
--- a/ipylab/jupyterfrontend.py
+++ b/ipylab/jupyterfrontend.py
@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@
 
 import asyncio
 import types
-from typing import NotRequired, Self, TypedDict
 
 from traitlets import Dict, Instance, Tuple, Unicode
+from typing_extensions import NotRequired, Self, TypedDict
 
 from ipylab.asyncwidget import (
     AsyncWidgetBase,
@@ -70,10 +70,10 @@ def sessionManager(self) -> SessionManager:
     async def wait_ready(self, timeout=5) -> Self:
         """Wait until connected to app indicates it is ready."""
         if not self._ready_response.is_set():
-            async with asyncio.TaskGroup() as group, asyncio.timeout(timeout):
-                group.create_task(super().wait_ready())
-                group.create_task(self.commands.wait_ready())
-                group.create_task(self.command_pallet.wait_ready())
+            future = asyncio.gather(
+                super().wait_ready(), self.commands.wait_ready(), self.command_pallet.wait_ready()
+            )
+            await asyncio.wait_for(future, timeout)
         return self
 
     def _init_python_backend(self) -> str:
diff --git a/ipylab/shell.py b/ipylab/shell.py
index f04c714..a5b08ca 100644
--- a/ipylab/shell.py
+++ b/ipylab/shell.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import asyncio
-import enum
+import sys
 import typing as t
 
 import ipywidgets as ipw
@@ -11,6 +11,11 @@
 from ipylab import pack
 from ipylab.jupyterfrontend_subsection import JupyterFrontEndSubsection
 
+if sys.version_info >= (3, 11):
+    from enum import StrEnum
+else:
+    from backports.strenum import StrEnum
+
 if t.TYPE_CHECKING:
     from ipywidgets import Widget
 
@@ -18,7 +23,7 @@
 __all__ = ["Area", "InsertMode", "Shell"]
 
 
-class Area(enum.StrEnum):
+class Area(StrEnum):
     # https://github.com/jupyterlab/jupyterlab/blob/da8e7bda5eebd22319f59e5abbaaa9917872a7e8/packages/application/src/shell.ts#L500
     main = "main"
     left = "left"
@@ -30,7 +35,7 @@ class Area(enum.StrEnum):
     menu = "menu"
 
 
-class InsertMode(enum.StrEnum):
+class InsertMode(StrEnum):
     # ref https://lumino.readthedocs.io/en/latest/api/types/widgets.DockLayout.InsertMode.html
     split_top = "split-top"
     split_left = "split-left"
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index dea927e..25e1e0e 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ build-backend = "hatchling.build"
 name = "ipylab"
 readme = "README.md"
 license = { file = "LICENSE" }
-requires-python = ">=3.11"
+requires-python = ">=3.10"
 classifiers = [
   "Framework :: Jupyter",
   "Framework :: Jupyter :: JupyterLab",
@@ -25,7 +25,13 @@ classifiers = [
 ]
 dynamic = ["version", "description", "authors", "urls", "keywords"]
 
-dependencies = ["jupyterlab>=4.0.9", "ipywidgets>=8.1.0,<9", "pluggy>=1.1"]
+dependencies = [
+  "jupyterlab>=4.0.9",
+  "ipywidgets>=8.1.0,<9",
+  "pluggy>=1.1",
+  'backports.strenum;python_version<"3.11"',
+  'typing-extensions>=4.9.0',
+]
 
 [project.optional-dependencies]
 dev = ["hatch", "ruff", "pre-commit"]
@@ -88,7 +94,7 @@ before-build-python = ["jlpm clean:all"]
 ignore = ["W002"]
 
 [tool.ruff]
-target-version = "py311"
+target-version = "py310"
 line-length = 100
 fix-only = true
 extend-include = ["*.ipynb"]