diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 2e18fc0..1617962 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -73,6 +73,15 @@ The [examples][examples] demo following scenarios.
 - check a patch is empty or not
 - add attribute to patch struct
 
+## Features
+
+This crate also includes the following optional features:
+- `status`: implements the `PatchStatus` trait for the patch struct, which provides the `is_empty` method.
+- `box`: implements the `Patch<Box<P>>` trait for `T` where `T` implements `Patch<P>`.
+    This let you patch a boxed (or not) struct with a boxed patch.
+- `option`: implements the `Patch<Option<P>>` trait for `Option<T>` where `T` implements `Patch<P>`.
+    `T` also needs to implement `From<P>`.
+    This let you patch structs containing fields with optional values.
 
 [crates-badge]: https://img.shields.io/crates/v/struct-patch.svg
 [crate-url]: https://crates.io/crates/struct-patch
diff --git a/struct-patch/Cargo.toml b/struct-patch/Cargo.toml
index 488598b..c32e120 100644
--- a/struct-patch/Cargo.toml
+++ b/struct-patch/Cargo.toml
@@ -20,7 +20,9 @@ serde_with = "3.9.0"
 
 [features]
 default = ["status"]
+std = ["box", "option"]
+box = []
+option = []
 status = [
     "struct-patch-derive/status"
 ]
-
diff --git a/struct-patch/examples/diff.rs b/struct-patch/examples/diff.rs
index 69a8683..e1fb9e0 100644
--- a/struct-patch/examples/diff.rs
+++ b/struct-patch/examples/diff.rs
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ fn main() {
     };
 
     // Diff on two items to get the patch
-    let patch = new_item.into_patch_by_diff(item);
+    let patch: ItemPatch = new_item.into_patch_by_diff(item);
 
     assert_eq!(
         format!("{patch:?}"),
diff --git a/struct-patch/examples/instance.rs b/struct-patch/examples/instance.rs
index 6b1a43e..8f3dc36 100644
--- a/struct-patch/examples/instance.rs
+++ b/struct-patch/examples/instance.rs
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ struct Item {
 fn main() {
     let mut item = Item::default();
 
-    let mut patch = Item::new_empty_patch();
+    let mut patch: ItemPatch = Item::new_empty_patch();
 
     patch.field_int = Some(7);
 
diff --git a/struct-patch/examples/patch-attr.rs b/struct-patch/examples/patch-attr.rs
index 9dbeabd..caab9ee 100644
--- a/struct-patch/examples/patch-attr.rs
+++ b/struct-patch/examples/patch-attr.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-use struct_patch::Patch;
 use serde_with::skip_serializing_none;
+use struct_patch::Patch;
 
 #[derive(Default, Patch)]
 #[patch(attribute(derive(serde::Serialize, Debug, Default)))]
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ struct Item {
 // }
 
 fn main() {
-    let patch = Item::new_empty_patch();
+    let patch: ItemPatch = Item::new_empty_patch();
 
     assert_eq!(
         format!("{patch:?}"),
diff --git a/struct-patch/examples/rename-patch-struct.rs b/struct-patch/examples/rename-patch-struct.rs
index ded16ee..3468e84 100644
--- a/struct-patch/examples/rename-patch-struct.rs
+++ b/struct-patch/examples/rename-patch-struct.rs
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ struct Item {
 // }
 
 fn main() {
-    let patch = Item::new_empty_patch();
+    let patch: ItemOverlay = Item::new_empty_patch();
 
     assert_eq!(
         format!("{patch:?}"),
diff --git a/struct-patch/examples/status.rs b/struct-patch/examples/status.rs
index 01ac70a..6a508f1 100644
--- a/struct-patch/examples/status.rs
+++ b/struct-patch/examples/status.rs
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ struct Item {
 }
 
 fn main() {
-    let mut patch = Item::new_empty_patch();
+    let mut patch: ItemPatch = Item::new_empty_patch();
 
     #[cfg(feature = "status")]
     assert!(patch.is_empty()); // provided by PatchStatus
diff --git a/struct-patch/src/lib.rs b/struct-patch/src/lib.rs
index 1a4fcaa..9fd6c03 100644
--- a/struct-patch/src/lib.rs
+++ b/struct-patch/src/lib.rs
@@ -43,10 +43,12 @@
 //! ```
 //!
 //! More details on how to use the the derive macro, including what attributes are available, are available under [`Patch`]
-#![cfg_attr(not(test), no_std)]
+#![cfg_attr(not(any(test, feature = "box", feature = "option")), no_std)]
 
 #[doc(hidden)]
 pub use struct_patch_derive::Patch;
+#[cfg(any(feature = "box", feature = "option"))]
+pub mod std;
 pub mod traits;
 pub use traits::*;
 
diff --git a/struct-patch/src/std.rs b/struct-patch/src/std.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1b00459
--- /dev/null
+++ b/struct-patch/src/std.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,246 @@
+#[cfg(any(feature = "box", feature = "option"))]
+use crate::Patch;
+#[cfg(feature = "box")]
+use std::boxed::Box;
+
+#[cfg(feature = "box")]
+impl<T, P> Patch<Box<P>> for T
+where
+    T: Patch<P>,
+{
+    fn apply(&mut self, patch: Box<P>) {
+        self.apply(*patch);
+    }
+
+    fn into_patch(self) -> Box<P> {
+        Box::new(self.into_patch())
+    }
+
+    fn into_patch_by_diff(self, previous_struct: Self) -> Box<P> {
+        Box::new(self.into_patch_by_diff(previous_struct))
+    }
+
+    fn new_empty_patch() -> Box<P> {
+        Box::new(T::new_empty_patch())
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(feature = "option")]
+/// Patch implementation for Option<T>
+/// This implementation is used to apply a patch to an optional field
+/// The `From` trait is used to convert the patch to the struct type
+impl<T, P> Patch<Option<P>> for Option<T>
+where
+    T: Patch<P> + From<P>,
+{
+    fn apply(&mut self, patch: Option<P>) {
+        if let Some(patch) = patch {
+            if let Some(self_) = self {
+                self_.apply(patch);
+            } else {
+                *self = Some(patch.into());
+            }
+        } else {
+            *self = None;
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn into_patch(self) -> Option<P> {
+        self.map(|x| x.into_patch())
+    }
+
+    fn into_patch_by_diff(self, previous_struct: Self) -> Option<P> {
+        match (self, previous_struct) {
+            (Some(self_), Some(previous_struct_)) => {
+                Some(self_.into_patch_by_diff(previous_struct_))
+            }
+            (Some(self_), None) => Some(self_.into_patch()),
+            (None, _) => None,
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn new_empty_patch() -> Option<P> {
+        Some(T::new_empty_patch())
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use crate as struct_patch;
+    use crate::Patch;
+
+    // Tests for Patch<Box<P>> implementation
+    #[cfg(feature = "box")]
+    mod patch_box {
+        use super::*;
+
+        #[test]
+        fn test_patch_box_simple() {
+            #[derive(Patch, Debug, PartialEq)]
+            struct Item {
+                field: u32,
+                other: String,
+            }
+
+            let mut item = Item {
+                field: 1,
+                other: String::from("hello"),
+            };
+            let patch = Box::new(ItemPatch {
+                field: None,
+                other: Some(String::from("bye")),
+            });
+
+            item.apply(patch);
+            assert_eq!(
+                item,
+                Item {
+                    field: 1,
+                    other: String::from("bye")
+                }
+            );
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Test for Patch<Option<P>> implementation
+    #[cfg(feature = "option")]
+    mod patch_option {
+        use super::*;
+
+        #[test]
+        fn test_patch_option() {
+            #[derive(Patch, Debug, PartialEq)]
+            struct Item {
+                field: u32,
+                other: String,
+            }
+
+            impl From<ItemPatch> for Item {
+                fn from(patch: ItemPatch) -> Self {
+                    Item {
+                        field: patch.field.unwrap_or_default(),
+                        other: patch.other.unwrap_or_default(),
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+
+            let mut item = Some(Item {
+                field: 1,
+                other: String::from("hello"),
+            });
+            let patch = Some(ItemPatch {
+                field: None,
+                other: Some(String::from("bye")),
+            });
+
+            item.apply(patch);
+            assert_eq!(
+                item,
+                Some(Item {
+                    field: 1,
+                    other: String::from("bye")
+                })
+            );
+        }
+
+        /// Tests for nested optional fields
+        /// See https://stackoverflow.com/questions/44331037/how-can-i-distinguish-between-a-deserialized-field-that-is-missing-and-one-that
+        /// and https://github.com/serde-rs/serde/issues/1042
+        /// To understand how to manage optional fields in patch with serde
+        mod nested {
+            use super::*;
+            use serde::Deserializer;
+            use serde::Deserialize;
+
+            #[derive(PartialEq, Debug, Patch, Deserialize)]
+            #[patch(attribute(derive(PartialEq, Debug, Deserialize)))]
+            struct B {
+                c: u32,
+                d: u32,
+            }
+
+            #[derive(PartialEq, Debug, Patch, Deserialize)]
+            #[patch(attribute(derive(PartialEq, Debug, Deserialize)))]
+            struct A {
+                #[patch(
+                    name = "Option<BPatch>",
+                    attribute(serde(deserialize_with = "deserialize_optional_field", default))
+                )]
+                b: Option<B>,
+            }
+
+            impl From<BPatch> for B {
+                fn from(patch: BPatch) -> Self {
+                    B {
+                        c: patch.c.unwrap_or_default(),
+                        d: patch.d.unwrap_or_default(),
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+
+            fn deserialize_optional_field<'de, T, D>(
+                deserializer: D,
+            ) -> Result<Option<Option<T>>, D::Error>
+            where
+                D: Deserializer<'de>,
+                T: Deserialize<'de>,
+            {
+                Ok(Some(Option::deserialize(deserializer)?))
+            }
+
+            #[test]
+            fn test_optional_nested_present() {
+                let mut a = A {
+                    b: Some(B { c: 0, d: 0 }),
+                };
+                let data = r#"{ "b": { "c": 1 } }"#;
+                let patch: APatch = serde_json::from_str(data).unwrap();
+                assert_eq!(
+                    patch,
+                    APatch {
+                        b: Some(Some(BPatch {
+                            c: Some(1),
+                            d: None
+                        }))
+                    }
+                );
+                a.apply(patch);
+                assert_eq!(
+                    a,
+                    A {
+                        b: Some(B { c: 1, d: 0 })
+                    }
+                );
+            }
+
+            #[test]
+            fn test_optional_nested_absent() {
+                let mut a = A {
+                    b: Some(B { c: 0, d: 0 }),
+                };
+                let data = r#"{ }"#;
+                let patch: APatch = serde_json::from_str(data).unwrap();
+                assert_eq!(patch, APatch { b: None });
+                a.apply(patch);
+                assert_eq!(
+                    a,
+                    A {
+                        b: Some(B { c: 0, d: 0 })
+                    }
+                );
+            }
+
+            #[test]
+            fn test_optional_nested_null() {
+                let mut a = A {
+                    b: Some(B { c: 0, d: 0 }),
+                };
+                let data = r#"{ "b": null }"#;
+                let patch: APatch = serde_json::from_str(data).unwrap();
+                assert_eq!(patch, APatch { b: Some(None) });
+                a.apply(patch);
+                assert_eq!(a, A { b: None });
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}