CI: build system do not check submodule for CI

.gitlab-ci.yml

@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ variables:
   # jobs can overwrite this variable to only fetch submodules they required
   # set to "none" if don't need to fetch submodules
   SUBMODULES_TO_FETCH: "all"
+  # tell build system do not check submodule update as we download archive instead of clone
+  IDF_SKIP_CHECK_SUBMODULES: 1
 
   UNIT_TEST_BUILD_SYSTEM: cmake
   EXAMPLE_TEST_BUILD_SYSTEM: cmake

make/project.mk

@@ -635,6 +635,11 @@ clean: app-clean bootloader-clean config-clean ldgen-clean
 #
 # This only works for components inside IDF_PATH
 check-submodules:
+# for internal use:
+# skip submodule check if running on Gitlab CI and job is configured as not clone submodules
+ifeq ($(IDF_SKIP_CHECK_SUBMODULES),1)
+	@echo "skip submodule check on internal CI"
+else
 # Check if .gitmodules exists, otherwise skip submodule check, assuming flattened structure
 ifneq ("$(wildcard ${IDF_PATH}/.gitmodules)","")
 
@@ -662,7 +667,7 @@ endef
 # so the argument is suitable for use with 'git submodule' commands
 $(foreach submodule,$(subst $(IDF_PATH)/,,$(filter $(IDF_PATH)/%,$(COMPONENT_SUBMODULES))),$(eval $(call GenerateSubmoduleCheckTarget,$(submodule))))
 endif # End check for .gitmodules existence
-
+endif
 
 # PHONY target to list components in the build and their paths
 list-components:

tools/cmake/git_submodules.cmake

@@ -11,6 +11,14 @@ if(NOT GIT_FOUND)
 else()
 
     function(git_submodule_check root_path)
+        # for internal use:
+        # skip submodule check if running on Gitlab CI and job is configured as not clone submodules
+        if($ENV{IDF_SKIP_CHECK_SUBMODULES})
+            if($ENV{IDF_SKIP_CHECK_SUBMODULES} EQUAL 1)
+                message("skip submodule check on internal CI")
+                return()
+            endif()
+        endif()
 
         execute_process(
             COMMAND ${GIT_EXECUTABLE} submodule status