Understanding the conversion of magnetic energy into accelerated particles is one of the main goals of solar flare research. We review the basic mechanisms at the
origin of particle acceleration in magnetized plasmas focusing on the processes which are likely to occur in solar flares, such as stochastic acceleration in a turbulent environment. We emphasize on recent advances in the field including
acceleration by turbulent magnetic reconnection and the formation of kappa-distribution accelerated electron populations in solar flares.