/**
 * Resolve a VAT "asset reference" to an absolute filesystem path.
 *
 * An asset reference is either:
 *   - A filesystem path (relative to baseDir, or absolute), OR
 *   - An npm bare specifier (`@scope/pkg/subpath` or `pkg/subpath`),
 *     resolved via Node module resolution from baseDir, honoring the
 *     target package's `exports` map.
 *
 * Bare specifiers let VAT consumers reference schemas (and future
 * config-supplied files) published as npm packages without hardcoding
 * the package's internal layout. The publisher's `exports` field owns
 * the layout; consumers stay portable.
 *
 * NOTE: this is a VAT-internal abstraction for locating files. It is NOT
 * an RFC 3986 URI reference and is intentionally NOT used by markdown link
 * walkers (including the `format: "uri-reference"` frontmatter checker) —
 * bare specifiers are not valid URIs and would not resolve in a renderer.
 *
 * @example
 *   resolveAssetReference('@scope/pkg/schemas/foo.json', '/proj')
 *     // -> '/proj/node_modules/@scope/pkg/dist/schemas/foo.json' (per the
 *     //    package's exports map)
 *   resolveAssetReference('./schemas/foo.json', '/proj')
 *     // -> '/proj/schemas/foo.json'
 *   resolveAssetReference('/abs/foo.json', '/proj')
 *     // -> '/abs/foo.json'
 *
 * @param specifier - The asset reference (path or bare npm specifier)
 * @param baseDir - Absolute directory used as the resolution anchor
 * @returns Absolute filesystem path to the asset
 * @throws Error with actionable message and `cause` on resolution failure
 */
export declare function resolveAssetReference(specifier: string, baseDir: string): string;
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