DownfilesSync is one layer in a J2Commerce stack. It does not replace commerce, content download plugins, or release pipelines; it keeps product file rows aligned with the folders those other pieces assume are truthful.
J2Commerce owns products, orders, and downloadable entitlements. Sync reads the attachment folder path from J2Commerce configuration and updates product file rows for mapped product IDs only. In Full Auto mode, mapping comes from master SKU to folder name plus optional overrides. Unmapped products are untouched until you align SKUs or add overrides.
RCA ships a sellable pkg_* ZIP into pro/pkg_rca_*/ (or free) and often places child extension ZIPs beside it for Joomla Updater feeds. DownfilesSync retail sellable-only syncs the package product when the J2Commerce SKU is pkg_rca_*. Child folders are ignored for storefront warnings unless you add explicit map overrides. The plugin does not replace SR_ZIP, private feeds, or updater XML — it only reads ZIPs already on disk for commerce downloads.
RCA J2C DirectDownload serves free products from articles with the rcadownload shortcode. It reads J2Commerce product files after those rows exist. When Sync keeps index zero on the primary managed row pointed at the latest ZIP, DirectDownload buttons that reference the same product stay aligned with your L2 folder releases.
When you set Cron key, any scheduler that can HTTP GET your site can trigger the same sync logic as Sync Now after CI copies ZIPs to L2. Protect the key like an API token. Use &force=1 when change-only sync skipped folders you expected to refresh.
Sync does not configure Stripe, OS Services Booking, RCA J2C Storefront display modules, or RCA J2C ConditionalProducts rules. It does not upload to remote storage or rewrite CDN URLs. You still copy ZIPs to the attachment root before sync runs.