Efficient debugging begins with prevention: enable set -x or use bash -x script.sh to trace execution and set -euo pipefail to detect failures early. Add defensive checks and clear logging—write functions that print variable states and context when errors occur. Use shellcheck to catch common pitfalls, and test logic incrementally with small inputs in a sandboxed environment or Docker container. For complex parsing, print intermediate outputs to temporary files and validate expected formats. Interactive debugging can be done with read pauses or by running problematic functions in an interactive shell. Community tip: pair-program debugging sessions or post minimal reproducible examples to the forum to get focused help quickly.