/**
 * @file Shared internals for the `paths/` module — the leaf-level primitives
 *   every other path leaf depends on. Kept as a single file so `normalize`,
 *   `predicates`, `conversion`, and `resolve` can layer above it without
 *   circular imports.
 *
 *   - char-code constants + shared regexps
 *   - `getUrl` — lazy `node:url` loader
 *   - `pathLikeToString` — `string | Buffer | URL` → `string`
 */
export declare const CHAR_BACKWARD_SLASH = 92;
export declare const CHAR_COLON = 58;
export declare const CHAR_FORWARD_SLASH = 47;
export declare const CHAR_LOWERCASE_A = 97;
export declare const CHAR_LOWERCASE_Z = 122;
export declare const CHAR_UPPERCASE_A = 65;
export declare const CHAR_UPPERCASE_Z = 90;
export declare const msysDriveRegExp: RegExp;
export declare const nodeModulesPathRegExp: RegExp;
export declare const slashRegExp: RegExp;
/**
 * Lazily load the url module.
 *
 * Performs on-demand loading of Node.js url module to avoid initialization
 * overhead and potential Webpack bundling errors.
 *
 * @private
 */
export declare function getUrl(): typeof import('node:url');
/**
 * Convert a path-like value to a string.
 *
 * Converts various path-like types (string, Buffer, URL) into a normalized
 * string representation. Handles different input formats and provides
 * consistent string output for path operations.
 *
 * @example
 *   ;```typescript
 *   pathLikeToString('/home/user') // '/home/user'
 *   pathLikeToString(Buffer.from('/tmp/file')) // '/tmp/file'
 *   pathLikeToString(new URL('file:///home/user')) // '/home/user'
 *   pathLikeToString(null) // ''
 *   ```
 *
 * @param {string | Buffer | URL | null | undefined} pathLike - The value to
 *   convert.
 *
 * @returns {string} The string representation, or empty string for
 *   null/undefined.
 */
export declare function pathLikeToString(pathLike: string | Buffer | URL | null | undefined): string;
