Artifactory efficiently organizes and tracks packages through metadata. The expiration of the "Metadata Retrieval Cache Period" prompts Artifactory to fetch updated metadata files from the upstream repository. If new versions are introduced, querying for a package without specifying the version retrieves the latest version from the upstream.
In cases where a package has been deleted upstream, Artifactory updates the metadata file in the remote repository. It removes references to the deleted package when the "Metadata Retrieval Cache Period" expires. As a consequence, attempting to retrieve that specific artifact results in a "not found" error.
In cases where a package has been deleted upstream, Artifactory updates the metadata file in the remote repository. It removes references to the deleted package when the "Metadata Retrieval Cache Period" expires. As a consequence, attempting to retrieve that specific artifact results in a "not found" error.