We examine observational evidence concerning energy release in solar flares. We propose that different processes may be operative on four different time scales: (a) on the sub-second time scale of 'sub-bursts' which are a prominent feature of mm-wave microwave records; (b) on the few-seconds time scale of 'elementary bursts' which are a prominent feature of hard X-ray records; (c) on the few-minutes time scale of the impulsive phase; and (d) on the tens-of-minutes or longer time scale of the gradual phase.We propose that the concentration of magnetic field into 'magnetic knots' at the photosphere has important consequences for the coronal magnetic-field structure such that the magnetic field in this region may be viewed as an array of 'elementary flux tubes'. The release of the free energy of one such tube may produce an elementary burst. The development of magnetic islands during this process may be responsible for the sub-bursts. The impulsive phase may be simply the composite effect of many elementary bursts.We propose that the gradual phase of energy release, with which flares typically begin and with which many flares end, involves a steady process of reconnection, whereas the impulsive phase involves a more rapid stochastic process of reconnection which is a consequence of mode interaction.In the case of two-ribbon flares, the late part of the gradual phase may be attributed to reconnection of a large current sheet which is being produced as a result of filament eruption. A similar process may be operative in smaller flares.