To improve debugging, practice reading error messages, use print statements or a debugger to trace your program, and test your code with various edge cases. Developing an instinct for common bugs also helps.

Debugging is an essential skill in competitive programming because even the best algorithms can fail due to small mistakes. The first step in effective debugging is to carefully read error messages and understand what they're telling you. Whether it's a syntax error, runtime error, or logical error, the message often gives clues about where to look. If the error isn't immediately clear, use print statements to trace the flow of your program and see where things are going wrong. For example, if you're working with loops or recursion, print the values of key variables at each iteration to ensure they're behaving as expected. Many coding environments also provide a built-in debugger, which allows you to step through your code line by line, set breakpoints, and inspect variable values in real-time. This can be especially useful for spotting off-by-one errors, infinite loops, or incorrect recursive calls. Another important aspect of debugging is testing your solution with a variety of test cases, including edge cases. If the problem specifies an input range of 1 to 100, make sure to test your code with values like 1, 100, and mid-range numbers to catch potential issues. Developing a keen eye for common bugs—like forgetting to reset variables or mishandling index bounds—will improve your debugging efficiency. The more you practice, the faster you'll become at identifying and fixing errors under time pressure.