Protected files

Keep part of your product with SunLicense: a rules file, a model, a map pack, the paid half of your content. Your app downloads it at run time, and only a valid license gets it. A cracked copy with the license check patched out still has nothing to load.

Protected files are on the Standard plan, with 100 MB for all your products' protected files together.

Upload a file

Each product has its own files, by name (letters, digits, dots, dashes and underscores, like rules.dat). Uploading the same name again replaces the file; apps get the new one on their next download.

• CLI: sunlicense files push rules.dat --product acme-editor, and sunlicense files list --product acme-editor.
• Dashboard: the product's Setup tab, Protected files.
• API: POST /api/v1/distribution/products/{productId}/protected-files with {"name": "rules.dat", "size": 1234} returns an upload URL; PUT the bytes to it with the headers it lists, then POST …/protected-files/{fileId}/complete. GET …/protected-files lists them, DELETE …/protected-files/{fileId} removes one.

Download it from your app

With the SDK (Java shown; every SDK has the same call):

byte[] rules = client.protectedFile("rules.dat");

Or over HTTP, with the same API key your app validates with:

GET https://api.sunlicense.com/api/v2/protected-files/acme-editor/rules.dat
Authorization: Bearer slk_…
X-License-Key: AX8P-…
X-Fingerprint: <this machine's fingerprint>

Answer	Means
200	The file. ETag and X-Content-SHA256 carry its SHA-256.
304	You sent If-None-Match with the current ETag: your cached copy is current (the license was still checked).
403 license_not_allowed	The license is unknown, of another product, suspended, revoked, expired, or its customer is blocked.
403 protected_files_unavailable	Your plan doesn't include protected files right now.
404 protected_file_not_found	No file of that name.
429	This license downloaded too often; wait for Retry-After seconds.
503	SunLicense couldn't check the license just now: keep using a copy you already have and try again later.

The license is checked at every download, never cached, so suspending or revoking a license stops its downloads at once. Each license can download about 120 times an hour (20 at once).

What it does and doesn't protect

A holder of a valid license can still save the file once it's downloaded. Protected files keep the file away from people without a license and from copies whose license was suspended; pair them with download watermarks so a leaked copy names its buyer.