boilerplate--update-backbone-model-on-couchdb-or-pouchdb-document-change.js

var db = new PouchDB('http://localhost:5984/dbname');

var Thing = Backbone.Model.extend({

  idAttribute: "_id",

  initialize: function() {
    var model = this
    var changes = db.changes({
      live: true,
      onChange: function(change) {
        if(change.id == model.id) {
          db.get(change.id, function(err, doc) {
            model.set(doc)
          })
        }
      }
    })
  },

  sync: function(method, model, options) {
    switch (method) {
      case 'read':
        var id = (model.get('_id')) ? model.get('_id') : model.id
        db.get(id, function(err, doc) {
          if (err) return console.log(err)
          options.success(doc)
        })
      break
      case 'update': 
        var id = (model.get('_id')) ? model.get('_id') : model.id
        db.put(model.toJSON(), function(err, response) {
          console.log(response)
        })
      break
    }
  }
  
})