Extending patch:true behaviour in a Backbone application, to update only the given attributes.

backpatch.js

// Extend PATCH:true option of Backbone.
// When model.save([attrs], {patch:true}) is called:
// - the method is changed to PUT;
// - the data sent is a hash with the passed attributes and their values;
var originalSync = Backbone.sync;
Backbone.sync = function(method, model, options) {
	if (method === 'patch' && options.attrs instanceof Array) {
		// pop attributes and add their values
		while (e = options.attrs.pop())
			options.attrs[e] = model.get(e);
		options.type = 'PUT';
		// turn options.attrs into an Object
		options.attrs = _.extend({}, options.attrs);
	}
	return originalSync(method, model, options);
};