In this article, we will present new and more general traveling‐wave solutions for the Dodd–Bullough–Mikhailov equation based on the extended Fan sub‐equation method. The two‐dimensional affine sphere's intrinsic geometry is determined by Dodd–Bullough in the three‐dimensional unimodular affine space. The most significant accomplishment of our method is that we are able to provide all forms of the previously obtained solutions in one action, using at least four different approaches. As a result, the general elliptic equation with five parameters can be connected to other sub‐equations with three parameters that already exist, such as the Riccati equation, the first sort of elliptic equation, the auxiliary ordinary equation, and the modified Riccati equation. The extended Fan sub‐equation method is utilized to construct traveling‐wave solutions, solitary wave solutions, dark soliton solutions, and bell soliton solutions for the nonlinear Dodd–Bullough–Mikhailov equation. Mathematica is utilized to depict the dynamics of various wave structures in 3D, 2D, and contour formats, utilizing a specific set of parameters. Our graphical comparative analysis suggests that the employed method is both reliable and powerful for obtaining exact solutions of nonlinear evolution equations. The approach employed in this study may also be applicable in enhancing the understanding of numerous other complex physical phenomena.