Ubuntu 16.04 is the first LTS release of Ubuntu with support for Snap packages, which is a brand-new way for developers to distribute software. With Snap packages, developers can bundle all of the necessary prerequisites along with their application, greatly simplifying the deployment process for publishing their software and making it available to end users. Users benefit as well because Snap packages are easy to install and don't interfere with the underlying distribution.
To fully understand the benefits of using Snap packages, let's first consider the weaknesses of the current method of deploying software in Ubuntu, Apt repositories. Since Ubuntu's inception in 2004, the project has used Apt repositories to deploy software to its users. Before the release of a new version of Ubuntu, the repositories are "frozen," and from that point forward, no major changes are allowed, other than security updates. Historically, exceptions to this rule have been made, such as...