/**
 * Parse JSON/JSON5 string preserving comments as Symbol metadata.
 * Drop-in replacement for JSON5.parse that retains comment positions.
 */
export declare function parseWithComments(raw: string): unknown;
/**
 * Serialize a value to JSON with comments restored in their original positions.
 * Drop-in replacement for JSON.stringify that outputs comments.
 */
export declare function stringifyWithComments(value: unknown, space?: number): string;
/**
 * Copy comment Symbol metadata from a source object to a target object.
 * Only copies Symbol properties (where comment-json stores comments),
 * not data properties — so the target's values remain unchanged.
 *
 * Recurses into matching object keys so nested comments are preserved.
 */
export declare function transferComments(source: unknown, target: unknown): unknown;
