What it means
AよりB（の）ほうが compares A and B and says that B has a stronger quality or is the preferred choice. With a noun or pronoun as B, の is normally placed before ほうが. The sentence usually continues with a description such as 好き, 便利, or いい. The pattern itself is not inherently polite; politeness comes from the sentence ending, such as だ versus です.
Usage note
より can also mean “from,” so the context and the rest of the sentence show that it is being used for comparison. When comparing two actions, the verb clauses come before より and ほうが, and の is generally not used before ほうが.
How to use it
夏より冬のほうが好きです。
I like winter more than summer.
寝るより勉強するほうが大切です。
Studying is more important than sleeping.
夏より冬のほうが好きだ。
I like winter more than summer.
寝るより勉強するほうが大切だ。
Studying is more important than sleeping.