Use proper condition for skipping second operator build

.github/actions/build/build-binaries/action.yml

@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ runs:
     #############################################################
     - name: Run tests and verification
       # Tests for operators repo are in separated workflow and this is just a redundant step
-      if: ${{ inputs.clusterOperatorBuild == 'true' }}
+      if: ${{ inputs.clusterOperatorBuild != 'true' }}
       shell: bash
       run: |
           make java_install

.github/workflows/reusable-test-integrations.yml

@@ -51,6 +51,11 @@ on:
         description: "Flag whether it is Strimzi Operator build or not (should be set only in Strimzi Kafka Operator repo)"
         required: false
         type: boolean
+      checkTests:
+        description: "Flag whether unit tests should be run and verified during build (set to false for repos without tests)"
+        required: false
+        type: boolean
+        default: true
       githubActionsRef:
         description: "Ref of strimzi/github-actions to use (tag, branch, or SHA). Leave empty for local calls within github-actions repo."
         required: false
@@ -107,8 +112,8 @@ jobs:
           artifactSuffix: ${{ inputs.artifactSuffix }}
           clusterOperatorBuild: ${{ inputs.clusterOperatorBuild }}
         env:
-          # Always skipTests during testing of the actions to save time
-          MVN_ARGS: "-B -DskipTests"
+          # Skip just ITs and rerun unit tests in case of flakes
+          MVN_ARGS: "-DskipITs -Dsurefire.rerunFailingTestsCount=5"
 
       - name: Verify binaries artifact was created
         run: |
@@ -121,6 +126,17 @@ jobs:
           tar -tf binaries-${{ inputs.artifactSuffix }}.tar
           echo "✓ Binaries artifact created successfully"
 
+      - name: Verify test results exist
+        if: ${{ inputs.checkTests == true }}
+        shell: bash
+        run: |
+          REPORT_COUNT=$(find . -path "*/surefire-reports/TEST-*.xml" -type f | wc -l)
+          if [ "$REPORT_COUNT" -eq 0 ]; then
+            echo "No surefire test reports found - unit tests may not have run"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          echo "✓ Found $REPORT_COUNT surefire test report(s)"
+
   test-deploy-java:
     name: Deploy to Maven
     if: ${{ inputs.modules != 'none' }}
@@ -184,6 +200,15 @@ jobs:
       - name: Install yq
         uses: ./.github/actions/dependencies/install-yq
 
+      # The central-publishing-maven-plugin creates a bundle zip for release versions
+      # and uploads via the Central Portal API, which local Nexus doesn't support.
+      # Setting a SNAPSHOT version forces direct artifact deployment instead.
+      # This is required for projects where we use release branches, and it is used only for testing purposes.
+      - name: Set SNAPSHOT version for testing
+        shell: bash
+        run: |
+          mvn versions:set -DnewVersion=${{ inputs.releaseVersion }}-SNAPSHOT -DgenerateBackupPoms=false
+
       - name: Deploy to local Maven repository using deploy-java action
         uses: ./.github/actions/build/deploy-java
         with:

.github/workflows/test-integrations.yml

@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ jobs:
         project:
           # Strimzi Operator - Full pipeline with containers and Helm
           - repo: "strimzi/strimzi-kafka-operator"
-            ref: "main"
+            ref: "release-0.51.x"
             artifactSuffix: "operators"
             architecture: "amd64"
             buildContainers: true
@@ -39,10 +39,11 @@ jobs:
             releaseVersion: "6.6.6"
             imagesDir: "./docker-images/container-archives"
             clusterOperatorBuild: true
+            checkTests: false
 
           # Kafka Bridge - Full pipeline with containers
           - repo: "strimzi/strimzi-kafka-bridge"
-            ref: "main"
+            ref: "release-1.0.x"
             artifactSuffix: "kafka-bridge"
             architecture: "amd64"
             buildContainers: true
@@ -53,6 +54,7 @@ jobs:
             releaseVersion: "6.6.6-rc1"
             imagesDir: "kafka-bridge-amd64.tar.gz"
             clusterOperatorBuild: false
+            checkTests: true
 
           # Access Operator - Full pipeline with containers
           - repo: "strimzi/kafka-access-operator"
@@ -67,6 +69,7 @@ jobs:
             releaseVersion: "6.6.6"
             imagesDir: "access-operator-container-amd64.tar.gz"
             clusterOperatorBuild: false
+            checkTests: true
 
           # MQTT Bridge - Full pipeline with containers
           - repo: "strimzi/strimzi-mqtt-bridge"
@@ -81,6 +84,7 @@ jobs:
             releaseVersion: "6.6.6"
             imagesDir: "mqtt-bridge-amd64.tar.gz"
             clusterOperatorBuild: false
+            checkTests: true
 
           # Drain Cleaner - Full pipeline with containers and Helm
           - repo: "strimzi/drain-cleaner"
@@ -95,8 +99,9 @@ jobs:
             releaseVersion: "6.6.6"
             imagesDir: "drain-cleaner-container-amd64.tar.gz"
             clusterOperatorBuild: false
+            checkTests: true
 
-          # Client Examples - Containers only (no Maven deploy)
+          # Client Examples - Containers only (no Maven deploy, no tests)
           - repo: "strimzi/client-examples"
             ref: "main"
             artifactSuffix: "client-examples"
@@ -109,6 +114,7 @@ jobs:
             releaseVersion: "none"
             imagesDir: "*-amd64.tar.gz"
             clusterOperatorBuild: false
+            checkTests: false
 
           # Test Clients - Containers only (no Maven deploy)
           - repo: "strimzi/test-clients"
@@ -123,6 +129,7 @@ jobs:
             releaseVersion: "6.6.6"
             imagesDir: "./docker-images/container-archives"
             clusterOperatorBuild: false
+            checkTests: true
 
           # Metrics Reporter - Java only (no containers)
           - repo: "strimzi/metrics-reporter"
@@ -137,6 +144,7 @@ jobs:
             releaseVersion: "6.6.6"
             imagesDir: "none"
             clusterOperatorBuild: false
+            checkTests: true
 
           # Kafka Quotas Plugin - Java only (no containers)
           - repo: "strimzi/kafka-quotas-plugin"
@@ -151,6 +159,7 @@ jobs:
             releaseVersion: "6.6.6"
             imagesDir: "none"
             clusterOperatorBuild: false
+            checkTests: true
 
           # Kafka Kubernetes Config Provider - Java only (no containers)
           - repo: "strimzi/kafka-kubernetes-config-provider"
@@ -165,6 +174,7 @@ jobs:
             releaseVersion: "6.6.6"
             imagesDir: "none"
             clusterOperatorBuild: false
+            checkTests: true
 
           # Kafka OAuth - Java only (no containers)
           - repo: "strimzi/strimzi-kafka-oauth"
@@ -179,6 +189,22 @@ jobs:
             releaseVersion: "6.6.6"
             imagesDir: "none"
             clusterOperatorBuild: false
+            checkTests: true
+
+          # Test Container - Java only (no containers)
+          - repo: "strimzi/test-container"
+            ref: "main"
+            artifactSuffix: "strimzi-test-container"
+            architecture: "amd64"
+            buildContainers: false
+            modules: "./"
+            nexusCheck: "strimzi-test-container"
+            javaVersion: "17"
+            helmChartName: "none"
+            releaseVersion: "6.6.6"
+            imagesDir: "none"
+            clusterOperatorBuild: false
+            checkTests: true
 
     uses: ./.github/workflows/reusable-test-integrations.yml
     with:
@@ -194,4 +220,5 @@ jobs:
       releaseVersion: ${{ matrix.project.releaseVersion }}
       imagesDir: ${{ matrix.project.imagesDir }}
       clusterOperatorBuild: ${{ matrix.project.clusterOperatorBuild }}
+      checkTests: ${{ matrix.project.checkTests }}
     secrets: inherit