What is Competitive Programming and How to Prepare for It?

Competitive programming (CP) is a type of programming competition where participants are given a problem to solve in a limited amount of time. Problems are typically of the algorithmic nature, and require participants to come up with an efficient solution. There are many benefits to participating in competitive programming. It can help you to improve your problem-solving skills, learn new algorithms, and become a better programmer overall. CP can also help you to increase your chances of getting a job in the tech industry, as many companies use CP as a way to assess the skills of potential employees. If you are interested in learning more about competitive programming, there are a number of resources available online. There are also many online platforms where you can practice solving problems. Here are some steps you can take to prepare for competitive programming: Learn the basics of programming. If you are not already a programmer, you will need to learn the basics of programming before you can start competing in CP. This includes learning about variables, data types, loops, and conditional statements. Learn about algorithms. Algorithms are the heart of competitive programming. You will need to be familiar with a variety of algorithms in order to solve problems efficiently. There are many resources available online that can teach you about algorithms. Practice solving problems. The best way to improve at competitive programming is to practice solving problems. There are many online platforms where you can practice solving problems. These platforms typically have a variety of problems of different difficulty levels. Join a competitive programming community. There are many competitive programming communities online where you can connect with other CP enthusiasts. These communities can be a great source of support and advice. Don't give up! Competitive programming can be challenging, but it is also very rewarding. Don't get discouraged if you don't get the hang of it right away. Keep practicing and you will eventually see improvement.