/**
 * Runtime environment loader for the Iranti CLI and MCP server.
 *
 * Resolves and applies env vars from up to three sources in priority order:
 *   1. Base .env file (lowest priority — general app config, not overridden)
 *   2. Instance .env file (IRANTI_INSTANCE_ENV — overrides all vars it defines)
 *   3. Project .env.iranti (IRANTI_PROJECT_ENV or ancestor walk — project binding
 *      keys always override; other keys only if no instance env is present)
 *
 * The resulting `authorityMode` indicates which source is in control:
 *   - 'environment-only'       — no .env files found, process.env governs
 *   - 'instance-authoritative' — instance env file loaded and takes precedence
 *   - 'project-only'           — project binding file found, no instance override
 *
 * Key export:
 *   - loadRuntimeEnv() — load and apply env vars, return loaded file paths and authority mode
 */
type RuntimeEnvOptions = {
    cwd?: string;
    payloadCwd?: string;
    projectEnvFile?: string;
    instanceEnvFile?: string;
    explicitEnvFile?: string;
};
type RuntimeEnvLoadResult = {
    loadedFiles: string[];
    fallbackEnvFile?: string;
    projectEnvFile?: string;
    instanceEnvFile?: string;
    authorityMode: 'environment-only' | 'instance-authoritative' | 'project-only';
};
export declare function loadRuntimeEnv(options?: RuntimeEnvOptions): RuntimeEnvLoadResult;
export {};
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