Using hook_views_data() to Integrate External Data in Drupal Views

Drupal Life Hack has published a guide on using `hook_views_data()` to expose external or custom data to Drupal’s Views. The article explains how custom data, unlike content entities, requires `hook_views_data()` to define it for Views, enabling data sources such as APIs or non-database structures to be accessible as Views fields. The post includes a step-by-step tutorial on implementing a custom `ViewsQuery` plugin for external API data retrieval, configuring fields with `hook_views_data()`, and integrating the custom data into the Views interface, providing users with the ability to filter, sort, and display external data seamlessly within Drupal.