/**
 * Parses a pattern, which matches a set of strings; see the `Syntax` section
 * for details. This function is intended to be called as a [template
 * tag](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Template_literals#tagged_templates).
 *
 * **Syntax**
 *
 * Generally speaking, in patterns, characters are interpreted literally. That
 * is, they match exactly what they are: `a` matches an `a`, `b` matches a `b`,
 * `;` matches a `;`, and so on.
 *
 * However, there are several constructs that have special meaning:
 *
 * - `[expr]` matches either the empty string or `expr` (an **optional
 *   expression**). `expr` may be a sequence of literal characters or a wildcard
 *   (see below).
 * - `?` matches any character (a **wildcard**).
 * - A `|` at the start or end of the pattern asserts position at a word
 *   boundary (a **word boundary assertion**). If `|` is at the start, it
 *   ensures that the match either starts at the start of the string or a non-
 *   word character preceding it; if it is at the end, it ensures that the match
 *   either ends at the end of the string or a non-word character follows it.
 *
 *   A word character is an lower-case or upper-case ASCII alphabet character or
 *   an ASCII digit.
 * - In a literal, a backslash may be used to **escape** one of the
 *   meta-characters mentioned above so that it does match literally: `\\[`
 *   matches `[`, and does not mark the start of an optional expression.
 *
 *   **Note about escapes**
 *
 *   As this function operates on raw strings, double-escaping backslashes is
 *   not necessary:
 *
 *   ```typescript
 *   // Use this:
 *   const parsed = pattern`hello \[`;
 *   // Don't use this:
 *   const parsed = pattern`hello \\[`;
 *   ```
 *
 * **Examples**
 *
 * - `baz` matches `baz` exactly.
 *
 * - `b\[ar` matches `b[ar` exactly.
 *
 * - `d?ude` matches `d`, then any character, then `ude`. All of the following
 *   strings are matched by this pattern:
 *   - `dyude`
 *   - `d;ude`
 *   - `d!ude`
 *
 * - `h[?]ello` matches either `h`, any character, then `ello` or the literal
 *   string `hello`. The set of strings it matches is equal to the union of the
 *   set of strings that the two patterns `hello` and `h?ello` match. All of the
 *   following strings are matched by this pattern:
 *   - `hello`
 *   - `h!ello`
 *   - `h;ello`
 *
 * - `|foobar|` asserts position at a word boundary, matches the literal string
 *   `foobar`, and asserts position at a word boundary:
 *   - `foobar` matches, as the start and end of string count as word
 *     boundaries;
 *   - `yofoobar` does _not_ match, as `f` is immediately preceded by a word
 *     character;
 *   - `hello foobar bye` matches, as `f` is immediately preceded by a non-word
 *     character, and `r` is immediately followed by a non-word character.
 *
 * **Grammar**
 *
 * ```
 * Pattern  ::= '['? Atom* ']'?
 * Atom     ::= Literal | Wildcard | Optional
 * Optional ::= '[' Literal | Wildcard ']'
 * Literal  ::= (NON_SPECIAL | '\' SUPPORTS_ESCAPING)+
 *
 * NON_SPECIAL       ::= _any character other than '\', '?', '[', ']', or '|'_
 * SUPPORTS_ESCAPING ::= '\' | '[' | ']' | '?' | '|'
 * ```
 *
 * @example
 * ```typescript
 * const parsed = pattern`hello?`; // match "hello", then any character
 * ```
 * @example
 * ```typescript
 * const parsed = pattern`w[o]rld`; // match "wrld" or "world"
 * ```
 * @example
 * ```typescript
 * const parsed = pattern`my initials are \[??\]`; // match "my initials are [", then any two characters, then a "]"
 * ```
 * @returns The parsed pattern, which can then be used with the
 * [[RegExpMatcher]].
 * @throws [[ParserError]] if a syntactical error was detected while parsing the
 * pattern.
 * @see [[parseRawPattern]] if you want to parse a string into a pattern without
 * using a template tag.
 */
export declare function pattern(strings: TemplateStringsArray, ...expressions: unknown[]): import("./Nodes").ParsedPattern;
/**
 * Parses a string as a pattern directly.
 *
 * **Note**
 *
 * It is recommended to use the [[pattern | pattern template tag]] instead of
 * this function for literal patterns (i.e. ones without dynamic content).
 *
 * @param pattern - The string to parse.
 * @throws [[ParserError]] if a syntactical error was detected while parsing the
 * pattern.
 * @returns The parsed pattern, which can then be used with the
 * [[RegExpMatcher]].
 */
export declare function parseRawPattern(pattern: string): import("./Nodes").ParsedPattern;