The primary objective of the current research endeavor is to undertake an extensive inquiry into a (3+1)-dimensional Kadomtsev-Petviashvili equation that delineates the dissemination of optical pulses in various media. To achieve this objective, a methodology based on Lie symmetries is employed to ascertain the symmetry reductions of the investigated equation, thereby facilitating a reduction in the dimensionality of the said equation. Subsequent to this, the dynamical system associated with the governing equation is deduced
through the application of the Galilean transformation, and its bifurcation is conducted by means of the planar dynamical system theory. Through the examination of a perturbed term in the resultant dynamical system, an inquiry into the existence of chaotic behaviors exhibited in the Kadomtsev-Petviashvili equation is pursued through various tools employed for detecting chaos. These tools include, but are not limited to, the study of Lyapunov exponents, three-dimensional phase portraits, Poincare maps, time series analysis,
and multistability analysis. Moreover, an examination of the stability analysis of the governing equation is conducted and visually represented. In the end, utilizing the unified Ricatti equation expansion method has led to the generation of numerous travelling wave solutions to the governing model. The findings presented in this study demonstrate the potential value of the obtained results in enhancing comprehension of the nonlinear dynamics inherent in the optics-based nonlinear model.