New build

.gitlab-ci.yml

 stages:       
    # List of stages for jobs, and their order of execution
-  - check_image # Check whether the image is already existing or not
+  - check_image_branch # Check whether the image is already existing or not for the branch
   - initial_build # builds if the image does not exist
   - build_main  # builds when the merge request is made into main
+  - check_image_tag # Check whether the image is already existing or not for the tag
   - build_tag  # builds when the tag is pushed
   - test_main # tests when the merge request is made into main
   - test_latest # tests when the image with tag latest is pushed
   - test_tag  # tests when the tag is pushed
 
-check_image:
-  stage: check_image
+check_image_branch: # Check whether the image is already existing or not 
+  stage: check_image_branch
   image:
     name: gcr.io/go-containerregistry/crane:debug
     entrypoint: [""]
@@ -20,8 +21,8 @@ check_image:
     paths:
       - docker_latest_image.txt
       
-initial_build:
-  stage: initial_build
+build_branch:
+  stage: build_branch
   image: 
     name: gcr.io/kaniko-project/executor:debug
     entrypoint: [""]
@@ -30,14 +31,17 @@ initial_build:
     - echo "{\"auths\":{\"$CI_REGISTRY\":{\"username\":\"$CI_REGISTRY_USER\",\"password\":\"$CI_REGISTRY_PASSWORD\"}}}" > /kaniko/.docker/config.json
     # Read the value of DOCKER_LATEST_IMAGE_EXISTS from the artifact
     - export DOCKER_LATEST_IMAGE_EXISTS=$(cat docker_latest_image.txt)
-    # if the image does not exist, build it
-    - if [ "$DOCKER_LATEST_IMAGE_EXISTS" == "false" ]; then /kaniko/executor --context $CI_PROJECT_DIR --dockerfile $CI_PROJECT_DIR/Dockerfile --destination $CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE:$CI_COMMIT_BRANCH; else echo "Docker image already exists"; fi
-  rules: # if the image is pushed into main branch, the build_main job will run
-    - if: $CI_COMMIT_BRANCH
+    # Check for changes (excluding README.md)
+    - CHANGED_FILES=$(git diff --name-only $CI_COMMIT_BEFORE_SHA $CI_COMMIT_SHA | grep -v README.md)
+    # if the image does not exist and there are changes (excluding README.md), build it
+    - if [ "$DOCKER_LATEST_IMAGE_EXISTS" == "false" ] && [ -n "$CHANGED_FILES" ]; then /kaniko/executor --context $CI_PROJECT_DIR --dockerfile $CI_PROJECT_DIR/Dockerfile --destination $CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE:$CI_COMMIT_BRANCH; else echo "Docker image already exists or no relevant changes"; fi
+    # Run tests (assuming you have a command for running tests)
+    - ./run_tests.sh # Replace this with your actual test command
+  rules:
+    - if: '$CI_COMMIT_BRANCH && $CI_MERGE_REQUEST_TARGET_BRANCH_NAME != "main"'
       changes:
         - "**/*"
-    - if: '$CI_MERGE_REQUEST_TARGET_BRANCH_NAME == "main"'
-      when: never
+
 
 build_main: # This build will run only for main branch
   stage: build_main 
@@ -52,6 +56,18 @@ build_main: # This build will run only for main branch
   rules:
     - if: '$CI_MERGE_REQUEST_TARGET_BRANCH_NAME == "main"'
 
+check_image_tag: # Check whether the image is already existing or not for the tag
+  stage: check_image_tag
+  image:
+    name: gcr.io/go-containerregistry/crane:debug
+    entrypoint: [""]
+  script:
+    - crane auth login -u $CI_REGISTRY_USER -p $CI_REGISTRY_PASSWORD $CI_REGISTRY
+    - if crane manifest $CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE:$CI_COMMIT_BRANCH; then echo "true" > docker_latest_image.txt; else echo "false" > docker_latest_image.txt; fi
+  artifacts:
+    paths:
+      - docker_latest_image.txt
+
 build_tag: # This build will run only for tags
   stage: build_tag
   image: 
@@ -65,7 +81,7 @@ build_tag: # This build will run only for tags
     # check if dockers images exists
     - if crane manifest $CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE:$CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME; then export DOCKER_TAG_IMAGE_EXISTS=true; else export DOCKER_TAG_IMAGE_EXISTS=false; fi
     # if the image does not exist, build it with the added tag
-    - if $DOCKER_TAG_IMAGE_EXISTS=false; then /kaniko/executor --context $CI_PROJECT_DIR --dockerfile $CI_PROJECT_DIR/Dockerfile --destination $CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE:$CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME; else echo "Docker image already exists"; fi
+    - if [ "$DOCKER_LATEST_IMAGE_EXISTS" == "false" ]; then /kaniko/executor --context $CI_PROJECT_DIR --dockerfile $CI_PROJECT_DIR/Dockerfile --destination $CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE:$CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME; else echo "Docker image already exists"; fi
 
 test_main:
   stage: test_main
@@ -90,7 +106,7 @@ test_latest: # This test will run only for tag latest
     entrypoint: [""]
   script:
     # specify auths for crane executor
-    - if DOCKER_TAG_IMAGE_EXISTS=true; then echo "Docker image already exists"; else crane auth login -u $CI_REGISTRY_USER -p $CI_REGISTRY_PASSWORD $CI_REGISTRY; fi
+    - if [ "$DOCKER_LATEST_IMAGE_EXISTS" == "false" ]; then echo "Docker image already exists"; else crane auth login -u $CI_REGISTRY_USER -p $CI_REGISTRY_PASSWORD $CI_REGISTRY; fi
     # validate the image with tag latest
     - if ! crane validate --remote $CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE:$CI_COMMIT_BRANCH; then exit 1; fi > test_latest.log
   artifacts: