Microsoft is recommending that developers stop using SharePoint’s Feature framework and list, web, and site templates in their solutions.  Now, instead of defining SharePoint content in CAML, Microsoft wants everyone to start creating content programmatically using the remote provisioning pattern.

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/bobgerman/archive/2015/01/31/new-guidance-from-microsoft-for-packaging-and-deploying-sharepoint-solutions.aspx