diff --git a/pylib/anki/pybackend.py b/pylib/anki/pybackend.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 008ecc9ef..000000000
--- a/pylib/anki/pybackend.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,84 +0,0 @@
-# Copyright: Ankitects Pty Ltd and contributors
-# License: GNU AGPL, version 3 or later; http://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl.html
-
-"""
-A Python implementation of some backend commands.
-
-Unimplemented commands will be forwarded on to the Rust backend.
-"""
-
-from __future__ import annotations
-
-from typing import Any, Dict, Tuple
-
-import anki  # pylint: disable=unused-import
-import anki.backend_pb2 as pb
-
-
-class PythonBackend:
-    def __init__(self, col: anki.storage._Collection):
-        self.col = col
-
-    def run_command_bytes(self, input: bytes) -> bytes:
-        pb_input = pb.BackendInput()
-        pb_input.ParseFromString(input)
-
-        pb_output = self.run_command(pb_input)
-
-        output = pb_output.SerializeToString()
-        return output
-
-    def run_command(self, input: pb.BackendInput) -> pb.BackendOutput:
-        kind = input.WhichOneof("value")
-        handler = getattr(self, kind, None)
-        # run the equivalent of the following, based on available method names
-        # if kind == "deck_tree":
-        #     return pb.BackendOutput(deck_tree=self.deck_tree(input.deck_tree))
-        if handler is not None:
-            input_variant = getattr(input, kind)
-            output_variant = handler(input_variant)
-            output_args: Dict[str, Any] = {kind: output_variant}
-            output = pb.BackendOutput(**output_args)
-            return output
-        else:
-            # forward any unknown commands onto the Rust backend
-            return self.col.backend._run_command(input)
-
-    def deck_tree(self, _input: pb.Empty) -> pb.DeckTreeOut:
-        native = self.col.sched.deckDueTree()
-        return native_deck_tree_to_proto(native)
-
-    # def find_cards(self, input: pb.FindCardsIn) -> pb.FindCardsOut:
-    #     cids = self.col.findCards(input.search)
-    #     return pb.FindCardsOut(card_ids=cids)
-    #
-    # def browser_rows(self, input: pb.BrowserRowsIn) -> pb.BrowserRowsOut:
-    #     sort_fields = []
-    #     for cid in input.card_ids:
-    #         sort_fields.append(
-    #             self.col.db.scalar(
-    #                 "select sfld from notes n,cards c where n.id=c.nid and c.id=?", cid
-    #             )
-    #         )
-    #     return pb.BrowserRowsOut(sort_fields=sort_fields)
-
-
-def native_deck_tree_to_proto(native):
-    top = pb.DeckTreeNode(children=[native_deck_node_to_proto(c) for c in native])
-    out = pb.DeckTreeOut(top=top)
-    return out
-
-
-def native_deck_node_to_proto(native: Tuple) -> pb.DeckTreeNode:
-    return pb.DeckTreeNode(
-        # fixme: need to decide whether full list
-        # should be included or just tail element
-        names=[native[0]],
-        deck_id=native[1],
-        review_count=native[2],
-        learn_count=native[3],
-        new_count=native[4],
-        children=[native_deck_node_to_proto(c) for c in native[5]],
-        # fixme: currently hard-coded
-        collapsed=False,
-    )