This manuscript describes the controller design for doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) driven by a variable speed wind turbine using particle swarm optimization technique. The mathematical model of the DFIG, its power converters, and their controllers have illustrated in this paper appropriately. The lower order simple illustration of DFIG have been used for PID controller design using numerical differentiation of Simulink model. The controller design for DFIG based WECS using PSO technique and its fitness functions are described in detail. The responses of the DFIG system regarding terminal voltage, current, active-reactive power and DC-Link voltage along with generator speed have slightly improved with PSO based controller. Finally, the obtained output is equated with a standard technique for performance improvement of the DFIG based wind energy conversion system. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.